Whether there’s a global pandemic, or you’re waiting for a home delivery, sometimes it’s not always possible to get to the office, meaning you’ll be stuck working from home. Although working from home can be a bit of a novelty, it’s important to ensure you avoid all distractions to help you remain productive and get your work done. From setting a rigid schedule, to making sure you never work from your bed - these tips will help to make working from home just that little bit more bearable.

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6 Tips to Make Working from Home a Breeze

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Turn Off All Distractions 

It can be difficult to remain productive when you’re working from home due to all of the distractions in your house. From your TV and social media to your household chores, it can be difficult to resist the temptation to deviate from your work.

However, it’s important to try and avoid all distractions to ensure you remain productive and get your work done. From unplugging the TV to leaving your personal phone in another room, there are a number of different steps you can take to avoid being distracted during your work hours, including:

• Set up a separate work space away from potential distractions
• Keep your personal phone in another room and only check it during  scheduled breaks
• Don’t do any household chores during your work hours
• Unplug your TV
• Only check non work-related sites during your breaks
• Invest in productivity software to keep you on track
• Keep any snacks and drinks close by so you don’t have to get up and go to your kitchen
  

So whether you struggle to stay motivated, or the thought of watching daytime TV is all too exciting, these tips should help you to avoid any potential distractions and help you to stay on-track when you’re working from home. 

Get Yourself Ready For The Day 

Anyone who regularly works from home will tell you that getting dressed and ready for the day is one of the most important things you can do. Whether you simply change into fresh pyjamas (we won’t judge!), or wear your usual shirt and a tie, you should try and stick to a normal morning routine, even if you are just going to work at a desk in your spare bedroom.

So if you’d usually get up, shower, put on makeup and get dressed, then you should do the same at home to try and mimic your normal work day as closely as possible and get you ready both physically and mentally for the day ahead.

Don’t Stay in Bed All Day 

Another mistake people often make when they’re working from home is to stay in bed all day. Not only can this affect your sleeping pattern, but it can also make you less productive too. 

If you simply get up, grab your laptop and start working, you won’t feel fully awake, alert and ready to take the day on. It also means you’ll be less inclined to take breaks, go for walks outside and have video calls with colleagues or clients, which can affect your mood and productivity levels.

So whether you simply get ready for the day and go and work on your sofa, or set up a dedicated office space in your home - you should take all the steps you can to avoid working from your bed all day long.

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Set Yourself a Daily Schedule 

If you struggle to remain productive when you’re working from home, then setting yourself a strict daily schedule might help you, especially if you’re not used to remote working.

From setting yourself specific working hours, to scheduling in times for virtual meetings, client calls and those all-important breaks - it can go a long way to helping you to remain productive and ensure you get your work done.

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Make Sure You Take Regular Breaks

Another huge mistake people make when they’re working from home is not taking regular breaks. Whether you’re at an office or working from home, it’s incredibly important to make sure you’re taking regular breaks from your work to ensure you’re staying productive and keep your stress levels at bay. 

Although you might feel like you need to prove that you’re working when you’re not in the office, that doesn’t mean you should go without breaks, as this can actually lead to reduced productivity. Studies have shown that people who don’t take regular breaks at work notice a drop in productivity, performance and mental health, which can eventually lead to burnout.

So whether you block out time in your diary so your team knows not to contact you, or simply set yourself reminders to have a break every few hours, you’ll notice a huge difference in your productivity and mood after a little break away from your computer.

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 Keep in Contact With Your Team

When you’re working from home, it’s important to stay in regular contact with your colleagues. Not only can this help to boost morale if you’re feeling a little bit isolated working from home, but it’ll also help you to stay on track, helping you to bounce ideas off your team, discuss the status of projects and make sure nothing slips through the net. 

So whether you’re managing a remote team, or you simply want to make sure you’re keeping in touch with your manager, scheduling daily catch ups can help to keep everyone on track with their work and keep team morale high. 

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So whether you regularly work from home, or it’s a temporary arrangement, these tips will help you to remain productive, happy and healthy when you’re working from home.