8 Tips to Improve Home Office Productivity
The home office has now become a hit among entrepreneurs and startups. Its popularity has considerably increased over the past years due to many online job opportunities. Another reason why entrepreneurs are investing in home offices is simple: it is cost saving.
Not only do you have no costs in maintaining the given space, but you save the time that you would usually spend going to and from work. In addition, this also facilitate the life of all employees.
Here are some valuable tips that will help you improve your productivity and efficiency when working from home.
1) Delimit your working hours
It is extremely important for you to create rituals in order to symbolise both the beginning and the end of a day of work. However, clearly determining your working hours as in any company’s offices might be more difficult when working from home. This simple gesture will allow your office to stay organised and therefore help you be as productive as possible throughout the day.
2) Be your own IT specialist
Another vital element of working from home is to have basic information technology skills. At home, if you come across an IT issue, you might not be able to find help immediately, which is why you must be prepared to solve any technical issues that are likely to occur.
3) Take some breaks
Since you will probably be sitting down at a desk for a long time, your body is likely to become stiff, leading to pain or problems of attention. It is vital to take some power breaks. Stretching from time to time will give you a boost of energy, as well as allow you to rest your eyes (that will probably be tired from staring at a screen!).
4) Finish your daily tasks
It is undeniable that one of the biggest challenges you encounter when working from home is the endless possibilities of distraction. To overcome the temptations of procrastination, it is a good idea to fix some a certain amount of time where you will be completely focused on your tasks. In addition to this you can also stipulate some daily goals by making ‘to do’ lists of tasks for each day. By doing that, you avoid wasting time and are able to be more efficient and productive.
5) Find your own space
It is also important to delimit your territory at home, so no one will interrupt you in the middle of something important. In case people are home while you are working, make an agreement with them that will enable you to work with no interruptions or distracting noise that may affect your progress.
6) Never work in your pyjamas
Naturally, you do not need to dress up and wear a suit when working at home. After all, you are working from home and this rhymes with comfort. However you should keep in mind that spending the whole day wearing pyjamas can negatively impact your productivity. You should wear comfortable, professional and appropriate clothes – for the sake of the impact it has on your mind. It is important for you to feel that you are working despite being at home, and your choice of clothes should reflect this.
7) Invest in practical furniture
A good home office gives you enough space, brightness and functionality. Ergonomic furniture such as chairs, adaptable desks and keyboard trays can be great allies to your productivity. Keeping an adequate posture not only prevents muscular pain and wound but will help you stay concentrated. And never forget the importance of a good white lamp.
8) Have a healthy diet
It is wise to plan your meals in advance, so you can properly enjoy your lunch/dinner break and therefore avoid wasting too much time preparing the food. Also, it is important to implement healthy and nutritious snack options in your routine. When at home, it might be very tempting to eat that box of chocolate or the tub of ice cream you’ve been eying for an hour… but instead of that you can enjoy fresh fruit that will keep you in shape and alert!
