How to work effectively from home

1. Get ready for work

No one talks about a strict office dress code, business suits or high heels. But, staying in home clothes or pajamas, you prevent yourself from getting ready for work.

Try to dress in a way that makes you comfortable at work, but at the same time you can easily leave the house or take a video call. Try soft jeans and a long-sleeve sweater or a wide-leg shirt for men. The same applies to appearance: remove hair, and you can apply a light BB cream on your face – it will even out the skin and take care of it.

2. Separate your personal life and work

Imagine that you are actually in an office. Do not engage in extraneous matters, no matter how great the temptation. When you’re coming up with a theme for a presentation, it’s easy to spot a stain on your curtains and take them to the laundry, but restrain yourself. All this you will do after the end of the working day.

The same applies to lunch. Don’t spend an hour cooking, half an hour serving, and another hour eating. If you prepare yourself something to eat in the morning, you can fully devote yourself to work during the day. Coach Jill Celeste, who has been working from home for several years, advises: “If your family calls you, say that you will call them back in the evening. I always call my mother back at the end of the day, without being distracted by family conversations during work hours.”

3. Take breaks

One of the disadvantages of a home office is that with all the possible distractions, at home there is no opportunity to be distracted for a few minutes and take a break. In the office, you can do this while going to the water cooler, or, for example, for a cup of coffee. Still try to take small breaks – go out to breathe on the balcony, take a walk with the dog, take a half-hour jog.

4. Keep a schedule

Anyone who works from home is their own boss, so it’s very easy to be tempted to finish work a couple of hours early, or a couple hours late, or drag out lunch. Get yourself a clear schedule and try to stick to it. This can be helped by “reminders” in your smartphone, which will signal that it’s time to finish a snack or finish today’s business.

5. Create your own home office

Try to allocate a corner in the apartment for a workplace. There should not be a TV, household items, children’s toys and a bed. Separate the place where you sleep and rest, and the area where you work. If you have a small apartment, get a screen and fence off the table during the working day. So the family will understand that at the moment it is better not to disturb you.

6. Don’t let yourself get bored

Do not sit within four walls! If you feel like you need a change of scenery, head to the nearest cafe or park. Now everywhere there are points with free Wi-Fi that will help you not to break away from work, and such changes will only benefit you and make your work more productive. In addition, a change of scenery will help to come up with creative ideas and non-standard solutions.

Source: entrepreneur.com