With so many of us being forced to work from home at the moment, I thought I’d share a few of the lessons I’ve learnt to stay super productive working from home over the last 17 years. Goodness! It’s safe to say that I’ve had time to discover what works for me and what doesn’t.
Working from home is a luxury I am grateful for every day. It’s convenient and efficient, it saves time and money and allows me the flexibility to work my schedule around my family commitments. So how have I managed to stay sane, motivated and productive? Read on for some work at home tips and tricks that have worked for me.
SETTING YOURSELF UP TO SUCEED
I have a spacious home office now, but it wasn’t always that way. At one period, we lived in a tiny 2-bedroom cottage and I was forced to work on our front veranda. First up, set yourself up so that you’ve got the best chance of making ‘working from home’ work for you. I’ll fill this post will some beautiful home office images to inspire you too!
1 Create a Dedicated Workspace
The beauty of working from home is that you have the freedom to create the environment that’s most productive for your mind and body. Everyone is different. I like to have a dedicated workspace. If I work away from my designated office, I find too many distractions and that I don’t have the tools I need at my disposal. A dedicated workspace has been essential to making work from home, work for me.
If you’re lucky like me, you will have a separate room with lots of natural light, fresh air and a door you can close to block out distractions. For others, the only option might be a corner of the dining table. If you’re a free spirit, a bean bag on the floor might do it for you. No matter what your workspace looks like, if at all possible, I recommend dedicating it to work and nothing else. If you live in a small space and work and eat at the same table, keep these activities separate and re-set the space each morning for work.
2 Make Comfort A Priority
Comfort is key to working efficiently. My key tips:
- Make sure that your chair supports your body and encourage good posture with keyboards and monitors at the appropriate heights.
- Move your body when possible. Research advises that for each hour worked we should spend 30 minutes standing. Consider investing in a sit-stand desk and take regular breaks.
- Select a position with as much natural light as possible but position your computer to minimise glare.
“Remember that posture still counts when you work from home, and how you sit today will shape your body forever. It’s important to choose an office chair that supports your body.”
Herman Miller
3 Have the Right Tools
Having the right tools to stay productive and connected to your team are critical to being productive. For me this means having a large monitor as well as my laptop and phone, access to samples and supplies and a reasonable amount of layout space. It also means making sure that all of my IT systems are running smoothly and that I can print documents and drawings as necessary. Having a really good, reliable IT contact for emergencies has been a godsend for me. Your requirements will be completely different and personal to you.
MY WINNING FORMULA
If you'd like to read more tips that get me working like a well-oiled machine read the full article on Working From Home at my residential life style blog, Tea With A Tigress.
These are just a few of the things that have helped me stay focused, inspired and motivated as I work from home. I’d love to hear the different ways you stay super productive throughout your day.
