Are you a mom, a blogger or just someone who works and enjoys working from home??? Recently I started working more from home and I have to admit that this transition from full time working from office to part time working from home was a tough one. Initially I was excited about working from the comfort of my home couch but soon I started suffering from something like cabin fever. I was slacking off, missing deadlines, working odd hours, my work kept racking up- the situation was horrendous! What I thought would be a fun experience turned into my nightmare. I was not enjoying it any more and longed to go back to office full time.
But I was not giving up. I realized that work-from-home was no joke and needed a plan and discipline to make the experience less stressful. I chalked out a plan, penned it on a big placard that sits by my desk as a constant reminder of my action-plan. Some worked, some failed miserably and today I am sharing the top five hacks that worked for me and helped me regain sanity and productivity..
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1. Have a proper set up
Any work you do for a living should be taken seriously, be it work from home. First task on your list would be be to have a proper set up- no bed or couch arrangement please ! Dedicate a well-lit space in your home as your work-space. Ideally, a desk placed with the chair back facing the window works the best. A well lit space versus a dark dimly-lit space, will keep you energized and eyes will get less tired. I would highly encourage investing an office chair that is comfortable, swivels and has a height adjustment feature. I found my perfect chair here. In conjunction to the aforementioned have the essentials like a note pad, pens, markers, paper-clips, tapes, printer and all that you would generally have on your office desk. Keep the desk clutter free, even if you have to sort out mails and papers everyday. Have respective binders and folders for your paperwork, notes and mails, label them and keep them at eye level for easy access and reference when needed.
2. Upgrade your WiFi system
downloading……downloading – Undeniably, we all have been there seen that! Nothing can be more frustrating than a Wifi with a turtle-speed. The kind of field I am in, I need to stream videos and download large image files all the time. I hated to see the ‘ downloading/buffering ‘ word pop up on my screen. I am glad found this Linksys Velop Mesh Wifi system. This set of two sleek, ultra-compact modular system provides wifi range up to 2000 square feet each, making it the most powerful home wifi system. I have seen my internet speed hike up four times and despite the numerous gadgets hooked on to this system, I’ve had no problems downloading or streaming anything.
3. Dress up
Might sound a bit obnoxious, but treat your home as your office and your weekday as your work day. Don’t be lazy, bathe early, have breakfast and wear work-appropriate clothes. The whole idea is to get you out of your pjs, your overly comfortable clothes. Feel professional, portray professional. You don’t have to go overboard, but just your wearing-out clothes that will make you feel good about yourself.
4. Make a list
Making a list of things always pays off. Don’t put too much on your to-do list- just three things in the order of their importance. Have a dedicated journal and apportion your time accordingly to the three things on your list, more time to your most important and sort and set your timer. Funny right…but the timer hack works. As the timer goes off, I transition to the second thing on the list and if there is still some spare time between the second and third thing, I would go back to the first one if unfinished. This way I make sure the three things I set for each working day gets done.
5. Fuel yourself/take breaks
No one likes to work like a robot. Rule number one: don’t starve yourself. Take breaks, have a snack or whatever meal time it is. If coffee is your mid-work-break-jam, then fuel yourself with some. I like green tea and will always a steaming cup brewing by my work desk. One drawback of working from home is the unwanted face-to-face rendezvous with the never-ending list of chores seeking desperate attention. This is a major distraction, but there are certain things that can’t wait. When I take a break I would attend to that chore. It is a good change of mind and sight. If that is not your thing, then go for a short walk. This will instantly refresh you and your mind.
These are some of my staying productive while working from home hacks, what about you ?
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