5 Tips to Stay Productive When Working from Home

    With many states prolonging stay-at-home orders due to the raging pandemic, displaced office workers find themselves having to work from home all day, every day. While that may sound like a dream come true, after several weeks or months of working from home, it can start to become difficult to focus. Your eyes glaze over and slide from your computer screen, you fidget in your chair, and you constantly get up to find yourself a snack.

    Don’t worry. With a few handy tips and tricks, you’ll be back to your old productive self, no matter how long you spend working from home! Check it out. 

    Choose a designated work spot

    One of the biggest mistakes many people make when they make the transition to working from home is simply working wherever they are most comfy. Maybe that’s sitting on the couch, maybe out on the porch, or maybe even from bed.

    If you’re working from home, the first step you can take to ensure productivity is to choose a designated work spot and stick to it. Working from bed will ruin your sleep and relaxation cycles, and working from a comfy spot like the couch tempt you to turn on the TV every few minutes. Set up a desk in your living room, or at least use your dining room table for work. That way, you know when you’re sitting at your work station, it’s time to lock in and focus. 

    Be intentional about relaxation time

    The opposite side of the coin is that it’s just as key to have intentionally set-aside relaxation time. You’re not your most productive if you’re stressed, tired, and worn thin. It’s important to intentionally make time every day to chill out, listen to music, watch your favorite show, or read a good book. 

    If you need help finding that relaxing headspace, consider some of these helpful options:

    Sure, it doesn’t feel like it, but relaxation is an essential part of a productive work day!

    Boost your gadget game

    Next, it’s time to think about your work from home gadgets. When you’ve got to telecommute every day of the week, having a solid workstation and tech setup is crucial. Here are some of the essentials you need in your inventory:

    • A stable high-speed internet connection, so you never lose an important client because your video conference keeps failing
    • A high-quality webcam, to ensure that your bright and shining face appears crystal clear at all those video meetings
    • A specialty ergonomic keyboard that allows you to work all day without any threat of carpal tunnel
    • A touch screen tablet that allows you to work on the go, if you need to step out for a walk but want to stay connected

    It may feel like a lot of money to spend up front, but your bottom line will thank you later on. 

    Give yourself a schedule

    When you’re working from home – especially if you’re on-call – it can be hard to stay consistent about when you’re working. Some days, you may wake up and try to get everything done by the early afternoon. Others, you might have a slow start and work until the late hours of the night.

    The most productive schedules, however, are built around consistent hours. Try to start at a regular time every morning, then decide that after a certain time you will not worry about work at all. This keeps work from invading your private life where it has no business, and also keeps you from wasting work time. 

    Find an accountability partner

    Lastly, one fun way to stay productive throughout your work from home time is to have an accountability partner. It’s your job to keep each other productive, and to report back everything you’ve completed. When it’s just up to you, it can be hard to stay motivated. But knowing you have someone you plan on checking in with will give you that extra push – plus the satisfaction of showing off your job well done!