How to Improve Productivity While Working Working From Home
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Sharing tips on how to stay focused, and improve productivity while working from home.
Prep your work space for productivity
Clutter can really hinder productivity while working from home. Clean up your desk, and remove any unnecessary items from your desk. I like to make sure I have water and snacks close by. I like to have a large water cup filled to the top with cold ice water when I am ready to start my day. I am pretty sure nobody is productive when they are hangry or thirsty.
Start your day with a focused to-do list
Before I turn my computer on, I like to sit down at my desk and write out my to-do list. I will often times complete the to-list and plan for the day once I get a chance to review my electronic calendar. These daily task planners can be a big help in boosting productivity. I find that they help assure I am completing tasks before moving onto the next thing.
Identify top 3 priorities
When working on your daily to-do list, try to avoid more than 3 major priorities for the day. By doing so, you’ll allow yourself to focus on one thing at a time, avoiding overwhelm.
If you have more than three priorities, you have no priorities.
– Jim Collins, author of From Good to Great
After starting your computer declutter your computer screen.
Close out of any documents you’re not working in. Evaluate your desktop…. does it look like a tornado blew threw your screen and documents spread everywhere? This can make it difficult to focus, and cause your mind to stray when you’re prompted by all the uncompleted tasks all over your desktop. Do you have any lingering notifications? Attend to any urgent messages or emails, and make a note on your handy dandy to do list for the ones you need to get back to.
Set alarms
Set alarms on your phone for routine breaks to stand up, walk around, and drink some water. Studies show takes 20 mins to focus…(refer to life scale book)
Turn off notifications, aside from break alarms 😉
Removing distractions can be a big help. There are studies that show it takes 20 minutes to regain focus after interruptions. There’s a FANTASTIC book by Brian Solis called Lifescale: How to Live a More Creative, Productive, and Happy Life. You can find the Lifescale book here. I recommend this book to everyone! He talks a lot about distractions, and constant notifications coming our way, constantly shifting our focus. This book also talks about the importance of creativity and how constant distractions can take away from that. Turn off any popup notifications on your computer. Turn your phone onto silent or do not disturb. On today’s smart phones you have a lot of opportunity to set do not disturb options to allow for urgent calls to get through or notify those who are trying to reach you when you’ll be available.
I hope these tips on how to stay focused, and improve productivity while working from home will help you as much as they’ve helped me!
For advice on working from home, visit the work from home section of my blog!
