The pandemic has forced most of us to work at home. While working remotely has its perks, being able to work from the comfort of your home has a lot of distractions as well. The couch, TV, and your bed are all examples of procrastination encouragements. With time in your control and no supervisor to check on you, what guarantees your productivity for the day? Let’s explore how to avoid distractions and procrastination in order to be productive in your remote working season.
1. Set your working schedule
Plan on how to utilize your time during weekdays. You can do this in advance by looking at your unfinished work and the new requests from your superiors. Set a deadline and allocate time for it during working hours. For example, if a senior colleague requested a liquidation document to be passed on Friday, set a Wednesday afternoon deadline and a Monday to Wednesday 1-4 pm working schedule for that document.
2. Use a comfortable spot as a dedicated workspace
Working in your living room or bedroom can be pretty distracting especially if you live with children or a partner. Move away from visual and auditory distractions by finding a comfortable isolated spot and use that as a workspace. You can choose to work in the attic far away from noises. If you have a home office then that’s better.
3. Establish a restricted communication policy
Whether it’s just small talk or some home matters with your family, it’s still considered as a distraction. Kindly ask them to talk later when you’re done working. This goes well with non-work related phone calls. Politely tell your caller to contact you later after working hours unless the matter is extremely important.
4. Do your morning rituals as you did before
When working remotely, we imagine opening our laptops while sitting on the couch wearing pajamas with a bed head. This can throw productivity off due to the feeling of unrestricted comfort. To fight this, stick to your morning routine as you did before the pandemic. Wake up early, take a bath, have coffee, eat breakfast, and wear casual clothing. You can also sit on the couch for a few minutes to stimulate the morning commute.
5. Create an office ambiance at home
For your dedicated workspace, get an office table, printer, telephone, or other office essentials. Make your space feel like the cubicle you were in before. You can even play some office background sounds while you work.
6. Go outside your home office for breaks
Don’t go sit or lie down in bed between your breaks. This can induce drowsiness and sluggish movements. Go outside your home, drink some coffee, and do some stretchings. You can also breathe in the outdoor’s fresh air while you’re getting some sun. If you want, you can walk around the block, your backyard, or your complex’s hallway. To imitate the watercooler and office kitchen conversations, talk to your partner or kid.
7. Log off for home time
Another thing to keep your productivity up is to not overwork yourself. Know when to clock out for the day. Save mental energy for tomorrow. Spend time with your family or yourself. Now is the time to watch NetFlix and YouTube or browse Facebook and surf the web. After a stressful day, who doesn’t deserve relaxation?
Read more: 8 Ways to Stop Feeling Tired All the Time
Achieving office productivity isn’t hard. Just stick to your normal working day routine. Set a dedicated space and avoid distractions. Don’t forget to communicate with your colleagues and ask for any advance work from your superiors. Use some auditory aids to stimulate an office environment and you’re good!
