Working from home can be hard at times. It is important to take steps to make it a little less challenging.
1. Accept change and adjust.
Working from home is different from working in an office for many reasons. Accepting this and adjusting to how you work best in this new environment is essential to getting your work done.
2. Establish a morning routine.
Before starting your day, it’s important to mentally and physically prepare.
3. Maintain regular hours.
Keep a healthy work-life balance even when working from home. Determine what times are dedicated for work and which are not.
4. Ensure a strong internet connection.
Don’t waste time figuring out why your internet is crashing or rebooting it. If you are sharing a connection with others, establish times when you are the only one using it.
5. Check your internet security.
Make sure that the network you are connected to is secure from cyberhackers stealing personal or work information.
6. Take breaks.
It can be easy to get caught up in working at home and thinking you aren’t doing enough. Truth is, you aren’t always as productive as you think you are in the office either. Allow yourself mental breaks throughout the day
7. Dedicate an office space and don’t make it your bedroom.
Separating the two creates a clearer work-life balance.
8. Choose your workspace wisely.
Don’t choose a busy area in your home or an uncomfortable chair. Create your space with knowledge that you will spend a lot of time here.
9. Customize your workspace.
At home, you have limitless options to customizing your space. Take advantage of this!
10. Minimize distractions.
Know yourself and what distracts you. If something is going to potentially distract you from your work, remove this from the equation.
11. Invest in technology.
Invest in the technologies that are necessary to do your job or make doing your work easier.
12. Ditch the PJs.
You don’t need to put on your suit or heels, but getting dressed before working at home helps change the mindset to a more professional atmosphere.
13. Use a planner.
Don’t waste time figuring out what you must do that day. If you keep a consistent planner, you’ll be able to jump right into it each day.
14. Stretch
Take time to do small stretches and exercises throughout the day. You may see a reduction in stiffness or soreness.
15. Use video chat.
It can be hard to fully understand how your coworkers or boss are thinking without body language or tone of voice. Video chat makes it possible to see or hear things you may miss through an email.
16. Learn to mute your mic when you’re not speaking.
This will help minimize the amount of audio feedback that can be distracting and disruptive during a call.
17. Stay active.
Even if you can’t go outside or to the gym, there are many great at-home workouts.
18. Meal and snack prep.
Plan ahead just as you would for a regular work week in the office. This will help save time and be better prepared.
19. Invest an in an air purifier.
Air purifiers with HEPA filtration can help keep odors and allergens out of your indoor space.
20. Know your productivity levels.
Everyone has times where they are either more or less focused throughout the day. Use the time when you think you’re more productive for complex projects and save the easier tasks for times you know you’ll be less focused.
21. Save calls for the afternoon if possible.
Allow yourself and coworkers time to wake up, go through their to-do list and power through some tasks before calls. This allows everyone time to get into the right mindset and create more efficient calls.
22. Stay busy.
It sounds crazy but the busier you are, the more you will get done. Those who are busy are in the swing of things and can get requests one more quickly
23. Communicate clearly.
This is even more important when you’re not working side by side. Clearly communicate with your boss and coworkers to ensure you’re all on the same page
24. Choose a background noise with thought.
TV, radio or music can serve as great white noise. This may seem counterintuitive, but for those of us who get distracted in the silence, this is a good way to stay productive.
25. Take walking meetings.
The great thing about remote meetings (unless they’re video) is that you can walk around during them! Take advantage of this and get in your steps for the day.
26. Discover screen sharing.
Screen sharing is a great tool when you’re not in the same location as coworkers. Utilize this while talking to others for better communication on a visual project.
27. Communicate expectations with those who are at home with you.
When you’re on an important call, you don’t want to be the person to disrupt it due to noises going on at home. Communicate your schedule with those at home so they can be respectful of your time, and you can be respectful of theirs.
28. Stay organized.
Having an organized desk, computer and more, make it easier to find what you’re looking so you aren’t wasting precious time.
29. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
No one can help you move forward with something you’re struggling with if you don’t let them know.
30. Pretend you’re not at home.
Don’t answer personal calls or start home projects during your work hours. It can be easy to get sucked into your personal life, so don’t do anything you wouldn’t do at the office.
31. Invest in a noise-canceling headset.
Headsets make calls easier by helping block out any outside noises and making for an improved mic for others to hear you.
32. Utilize free or inexpensive communication tools.
In today’s world, there are more technologies available than ever. Use these tools to your advantage.
33. Schedule check-ins.
When working at home, it may be more difficult to communicate with your boss, coworkers or employees. Scheduling meetings to check-in on everyone is a great way to stay in the loop and assist each other with anything needed.
34. Stay hydrated.
It can be easy both in and out of the office to forget what could be considered a simple task. Staying hydrated is one of the simplest ways to take care of yourself. You can’t work if you aren’t taking care of yourself first.
35. Leave your house.
Make time to leave the house to get some fresh air and a change of environment.
36. Put your phone on airplane mode.
When your phone is in airplane mode, you are not hearing your phone vibrate or ring while getting a notification. This allows you to be less distracted from it and focus on your work.
37. Maintain your regular sleep schedule.
Just because you are working from home doesn’t mean you should be getting less sleep. Sleep is important for staying focused and productive.
38. Use a secondary monitor.
If you don’t have an actual monitor, find a way to hook up your laptop to a TV. Having multiple screens open at can be a more effective and efficient way to get work done.
39. Don’t work in the kitchen.
Working in your kitchen is an easy way to get distracted and overeat. This is especially true if you live with others, since they will be in and out of the kitchen throughout the day.
40. Plan walks with your dog.
A walk is a helpful tool to use your dog’s energy, so they are less likely to want to play while you’re working.
41. Find a window to work next to.
Sunlight is an easy way to brighten your workday... no pun intended!
42. Don’t eat lunch at your desk.
Separating the space where you work and eat is a good way to break up your day. A change of pace and environment for a bit will help your mind recharge and be ready to go for the rest of the day.
43. Cover the basics.
It may be easy to forget, but make sure you keep basic office supplies in your home such as pens, paper, a printer, a stapler, and more.
44. Socialize with others.
Whether it’s the people in your home, friends, or coworkers, remember to stay social with others. Working from home can lead to loneliness or feeling disconnected. Socializing is a great way to combat these effects. When you’re done with your workday, find time to call, text or video chat on non-work subjects.
45. Make a work playlist.
Music can be motivating and effect our mood. Having a set playlist for work can help put you in the right mindset.
46. Repurpose your commute time.
One of the benefits of working from home is eliminating your regular commute time. Use the extra time to your advantage.
47. Set up your desk and computer at the correct level for you.
Don’t set up your workspace in a way that you are forced to hunch over or unnaturally place your elbows or shoulders.
48. Find what motivates you.
If you find yourself motivated by certain sayings, pictures or even plants, bring them to your desk to cheer up your space.
49. Invest in reliable computer equipment.
Using unreliable computer equipment can lead to not only frustration, but loss of work.
50. Keep your kids entertained.
Seek activities that don’t require supervision so you can focus on your work. Activities to keep your kids occupied may include reading, educational shows, or online learning resources.
51. Update your work calendar to reflect any at-home commitments.
When you’re not in the office, it can be harder for others to know when you’re unavailable If you know you will need to walk the dog, check on your kids, or run an errand, block your calendar to let coworkers know you’re busy.
52. Keep an eye on your device’s power level.
Nothing is worse than your phone or computer dying in the middle of a call because you weren’t plugged in!
