How can you stay focused and productive while working from home?

Setting up a dedicated workspace cannot be underestimated. Working in other areas (bedrooms/living room etc) is an unnecessary distraction and impacts your non-working patterns (associating living room with work rather than relaxation). The other critical aspect is keeping the area tidy to allow focus! Fresh air is essential and ideally natural light - both proven to improve productivity.

A dedicated workspace away from the central hub of the home is essential! Keep your space clean, comfortable and make it a nice space you want to be in every day.

Working from home can be challenging. Here are some tips to help you stay focused and productive: 1. Create a designated workspace 2. Stick to a routine 3. Minimize distractions 4. Take breaks 5. Stay connected with colleagues and team members Remember, everyone works differently, so find what works best for you.

In my experience, setting up a dedicated workspace in your home, when working from home, is an important step to take. As it will allow us to create a conducive environment for job-related tasks with minimum interruptions from surrounding environment.

Set up a quiet work friendly environment. Enough light and organized. Start and end at the same time, try to stay motivated and take breaks. Make sure you have all resources needed to complete your daily tasks.

Increasing efficiency while working remotely is effectively accomplished through adept planning and prioritizing tasks. When you organize your schedule, set explicit goals, allocate time judiciously, and prioritize crucial tasks, it diminishes stress, refines time management, and elevates overall productivity. The emphasis on task prioritization directs attention toward high-impact activities, fostering a more structured and successful experience in remote work.

What I have done while working from home is :  ° Designate an area for a workspace. With a desk, phone, like a little office. ° Set up a schedule. Review your day before schedule to ensure your goals were completed and complete if not. Who do you need to talk to, what needs reviewed. Calls, conference calls if needed. Follow up emails, set up future meetings. ° Get dressed and ready for the day as if your going to your office. ° Set your boundaries. ° Take breaks away from office area and phone calls emails. ° Establish working hours a regular work schedule. ° Structure your day for success and what ever didn’t get completed schedule it for follow up for your next workday. ° Communicate expectation with anyone who will be home with you.

If one does not plan and prioritize work, working from home may be more tedious and lengthy than working from the office. One may work from 7:00am to 8:00pm from home, possibly working for all those hours that may be spent in traffic commuting to and from work….lol One must have a to-do list for the day and a working timeframe. Be conscious about your break hours and stay true to your schedule

Optimizing productivity in my remote work setup involves meticulous organization and leveraging digital tools for focused task management. Additionally, I prioritize clear communication with my team, acknowledging the significance of transparent interactions and respecting diverse time zones. Understanding the profound impact of my productivity on team dynamics, I remain dedicated to upholding these practices for seamless collaboration and collective success.

Strong communication bridges the gap between team members, ensuring everyone is in sync & informed. Delayed updates or unclear messages can lead to misalignment, confusion, & ultimately, missed deadlines. - Multi-channel approach. Whether it's timely emails for project updates, quick video calls for clarifications, or instant messaging for real-time collaboration, choose the tool that best fits the message & urgency. - Be deliberate: Aim for clarity, conciseness & courtesy. Keep your audience in mind, respecting their time zones & preferences. Provide regular updates, keeping everyone on the same page & preventing assumptions. - Prompt responsiveness: Most critical. Aim to acknowledge messages promptly & address issues proactively.

Even as you will not have access to face-to-face communication with staff and other stakeholders during WFH, there is the need to engage in an appreciable level of virtual video calls or conferencing rather than to voice calls. Video calls adds a level of intimacy and body language functionality that can resonate with physical meetings and enhance deeper conversation and understanding. For instance, dedicate 15mins of the day for a video conferencing with your team to catch up and wine up the day.

Taking regular and well timed breaks forms an essential part of my WFH schedule. Barring any unavoidable urgent event, I will always try to fit two separate 15 min breaks -on top of the usual meal and bio breaks- into my schedule. During those breaks, I will try to relax my mind (could be just chillin' / power-napping / putting out the laundry / etc.). I'll try not to think about work -OR- if it has been a stressful start, use the time to strategise a better approach for my remaining workday. What one does during the 15 mins break may differ from one individual to another; and it could also be different from day-to-day. It is also important for one to be disciplined and not exceed these timed breaks. Lastly, do what works best for you!

Stepping away from work can stimulate creativity. Whether it's a short walk, stretching, or a change of scenery, breaks provide an opportunity for fresh perspectives and innovative thinking. Scheduled breaks can serve as natural checkpoints, helping to assess progress and readjust priorities if needed. This contributes to better time management and goal achievement.

Don’t fall into the trap of taking time out of your schedule to do laundry or run your the store. Respect the time of the company. I recommend that you keep the same time schedule at home as you would in the office. That way you know what each day will be like. Use the free time you don’t spend commuting to get another 15 minutes into your work day.

Perhaps a quick learning session in the morning before starting your duties. It's about developing a more savvy, flexible attitude rather than merely picking up new abilities. Many online resources are available, such as Youtube, LinkedIn, Skillshare, and more. In terms of modern learning, they serve as your mentors. Working from home is not so much a simple chore as it is a process of lifelong learning. Keep learning, stay focused, and use every new skill as an opportunity for greater productivity.

When I work from home, I often reward myself with breaks and other kinds of treats. I set little milestones for myself and, at each milestone,I reward myself with snacks, naps or work. When I finally conclude my work, I give myself “larger” treats like movies, a good meal at a restaurant or a little shopping. This approach feels like I am giving myself a pat on the back. It’s highly motivating and brings with it a sense of fulfilment!

I am quite fortunate, as I do.thw school run. Up and preparing for the sons to get to school, I'm of the mindset that I'm preparing for a working day. Since Covid, our home as been set up accordingly. Claiming a dedicated workspace for work only is helpful, but not always practical. We use time zones and work areas for specogic usuage It is very important to follow a routine with scheduled breaks to maintain energy. I use my breaks for walks, stretches, food, social media etc. These are built around setting daily goals, to-do lists, business planning to help structure my day around specific tasks. Important also to communicate challenges with fsmily, friends and colleagues for their understanding, engagement and support.

Unfortunately there isn’t an answer to this question. Not one size fits all. My recommendation is to try a few things, see how you feel. What works for you, keep, what doesn’t, get rid of. You know yourself better than anyone else

A to Do List everyday in addition to communicate with the team by phone calls and videos. By listing all the tasks you need to accomplish and to keep in mind that today my productivity will be very high. So every one of us knows himself very well and where he can be more productive. Think about it😉