We all wish that the “working from home is perfect and you can save so much time” myth were true. In theory, home-based work eliminates all the time we spend going to and from the office, and it lets you organize your own schedule, eat home-cooked meals, and so much more. So why is it so difficult to focus and work while you’re at home?
First of all, you’re dealing with all kinds of distractions, your brain isn’t used to the environment that you normally perceive as anything but professional, and chances are, family. Luckily, there are ways to deal with all that and so much more that might be playing havoc with your ability to work remotely. Let’s check out a few useful tips to boost productivity.
Limit digital distractions
Our online habits are different when we’re at home or at work. It makes sense to feel the urge to go on Facebook or Instagram, but there are tools to help you minimize these distractions. For example, the Chrome plugin called Mindful Browsing lets you know when you’re being unproductive, but without sounding judgmental. Instead, you get to see some lovely nature photos and get a reminder to focus on work.
Tools like Freedom, on the other hand, can be connected to a wide array of digital devices and you can block apps and sites that distract you during a designated time of day. Block off your work hours with such apps, and you won’t be procrastinating that easily soon.
Amplify your Google Workspace
In addition to what you’re not supposed to do while working, there are things that you can do better to be more productive. Like most professionals using Google Workspace, you likely communicate with your colleagues via email and other tools regularly, but you also need to swap contact details with each other.
Since Google Workspace doesn’t have that feature built into the system, you can share Google Contacts with the help of a dedicated add-on called Shared Contacts. Once activated, it lets you seamlessly exchange contact details with your team members, assign editing rights, and organize your contact base properly. You’ll no longer waste time searching for contact details, but have everything at your fingertips and ready for your teams.
Organize a dedicated work area
As we’ve mentioned before, your work setting has an impact on how productive you’ll be. So, if you’re spending your work hours stuck in an uncomfortable chair, slouched over a desk that’s too low, and without proper lighting, you’re bound to have issues.
Design your home office to be adapted to your work needs, so add a well-organized file cabinet, a supportive chair, and don’t forget a LED lamp. This should help you feel good while you work and avoid all kinds of strain that would lead to a lack of focus.
Choose a smart project management tool
With so many digital outlets you’re using, you could be feeling overwhelmed with messages, tasks, and managing everything flooding your inboxes. Getting a project management tool like Zoho Projects can simplify the entire process significantly, keeping it all under one roof, with automated alerts and notifications.
Organizing your projects and tasks can be much simpler with one tool to do it all. Then, you can check your progress, see which milestones you need to meet, and what you can delegate to free up some of your time.
Stick to a work schedule
Just like your evening routine can help you amp up your mornings to be energized and refreshed, setting a clear and detailed work routine will allow you to focus properly. When we work remotely, we’re tempted to spend most of our time checking our personal social media pages, doing some laundry, and enjoying the occasional cup of coffee. All that’s natural, but when it’s time to work, you should be able to avoid finding all the other chores that suddenly need to get done.
Create a schedule that gives you an overview of what needs to get done each hour of your workday. That alone will help you grasp how much there is to finish, and how much time you really need for each task. The schedule can then help you refine your hours based on performance and give yourself the chance to get more done.
Finally, we need to say goodbye to the idea that productivity can or should be a constant state. It fluctuates and you’re allowed to be a little slow on some days, especially when you don’t get enough sleep or you’re handling a particularly tedious project.
Despite it all, you can use these and other tips inspired by them to improve your ability to focus and get more done in less time, no matter where you are or who’s around you.