Working from Home :: Practical Productivity Tips
Amidst the current global health climate, it feels like we’re being thrust into a new digital age. Businesses are instituting mandatory work from home policies, employees are voluntarily self isolating and everyone seems to be scrambling to keep up with the ever-evolving news updates.
On a positive note - I do think that new challenges + adversities are prime opportunities for innovation. We’re having to get creative with every aspect of our lives. Schools are moving to all online classes and teams are interacting virtually. People everywhere are having to adjust to the professional digital world.
I’ve been working remotely for my company for over two years now (traditionally, less than 3% of the American workforce works remotely on a regular basis). We led a massive digital system upgrade shortly before I moved into this new position so I’m able to fully function within my job digitally! My relationship with remote work has had its ups and downs … I’ve had to figure out what works best for me in terms of maximizing my productivity. So, I wanted to share some practical productivity tips for working from home!
Designate a work space. When working from home, it’s harder to separate WORK from being HOME. Having a designated work space will help create a physical boundary between “professional” you and “at-home” you. Once you sit down in your designated work space, it should trigger a reaction in your brain to settle in and focus. I love this navy desk!
Put on pants. Climb into your favorite athleisure look. Whatever you do … avoid working in your PJs. Waking up and going through your normal “getting ready for work!” routine helps prepare yourself mentally for a full day of work again. Trust me. I’ve done the working in my PJs thing. Changing into a different set of clothes (usually athleisure for me) completely changes my mindset when I sit down in front of the computer. It’s like a mental switch that the work day has started and sets up another mental boundary between home life and work life.
Plan your week. I use a planner to map out my whole work week in general terms (i.e. call my candidates on Monday afternoon, edit resumes on Tuesday morning, etc.). This helps give structure to my week, as I have to act as my own self motivator. And, when I feel myself getting off track, I refer back to the planner!
Make a to do list every day. This is my favorite tip. To do lists WORK. When I jump straight into a work day without pausing to collect my thoughts / make goals for the day, I eventually feel all over the place. And, I LOVE checking things off a physical list once completed.
Put your phone away. Literally stash it in a drawer or hide it under a pillow. To be honest, I struggle with this. Phones are a constant companion, and I use mine often to call candidates for work. So, naturally, it sits right next to my computer. When I’m not calling people, I have to remind myself not to touch my phone. Designating phone breaks is a good practice, too!
Build in breaks. Get up! Its easy to become glued to your chair. Go for a walk, do some jumping jacks, take the trash out, etc. When working from home, you’d don’t have many of those social interactions with coworkers or mini mental breaks (i.e. getting more coffee from the break room, walking to the other end of the office, etc.). Your work time is a lot more concentrated, which is great for productivity but can wear you out. Build these into your routine, so you can refresh!
Communicate. Over communicate with your team members. Its easier to be clued in on all of the workplace happening when you’re actually IN the office. Send extra emails to check in with a teammate, set up a video conferences, communicate via messaging, etc. A big part of employee productivity does hinge on engagement. Communication with teammates while working remotely is an important party of the daily routine. And, as we find ourselves thrust into the new digital work space, business leaders are going to have to be nimble with the way they manage their teams. Korn Ferry, an executive search firm, has created online seminars for leaders to help discuss different topics like “crisis proofing your talent processes” and “creating effective learning experiences in a virtual environment.”
And, sometimes, you just need to ask Alexa to play your JAM. Dance around the house, get the blood pumping, sing out loud. It works! BUT, the overarching theme to these tips are ROUTINE and STRUCTURE. Determine what will work best for you. I hope you find these tips helpful! And if you have any additional tips, please let me know!
