Since most of the world is now confined to the home office, it’s still important to stay productive. I have been working from home full time for almost two years now and I have been running my blog on nights and weekends since 2013. I would say that I’m pretty good at working from home and getting things done. I would love to share my tips and I hope that it helps you.
Tips for work from home productivity
Pomodoro timer
Although this isn’t only for the home, it’s one of the key tools that makes me successful. I use the Productivity Challenge Timer to time my work. This allows me to work focused for a specific amount of time and then taking a dedicated break – Pomodoro Technique. They recommend that you work for 25 minutes and take a 5 minute break – one Pomodoro. I don’t find this sufficient to get into a good flow. Hence, I prefer to work for 45 min and rest for 10 min. The goal here is to focus on a single activity for 45 minutes without doing anything else. Use the 10 minutes to go to the bathroom and take breaks. After 3 Pomodoros I take a 30 min break. With this strategy, I can basically work from 6 AM to 8 PM without being destroyed at the end of the day. And no coffee, but that’s a preference 😀
Have a dedicated work space
Another key to focus is to have a dedicated space in which you actually work. I prefer to have a large desk with a lot of space and without other distractions such as the tv. It’s also awesome if you can have a door to lock. That way you can kindly tell your family to not bother you while the door is 🔒
Have dedicated work hours
It’s so great to be at home because you can wake up later, not shower, not change your clothes and just show up to work. Sometimes I go for weeks without showering or changing my clothes 😂Just kidding! Only days at a time 😊
However, you must make sure that you have dedicated hours that are assigned to work. For example, 9 – 5 is for work. I usually do some work on the blog from 530 – 7, hit the gym, and then work from 9 – 6. During those working hours my wife knows not to bother me because they are my “work hours”. And it really helps.
Furthermore, I only focus on work during those hours as well. If I want to watch tv or procrastinate, I know that I will be able to do so after I am done with my work.
Conclusion
I hope that this advice helps you to be more productive and stay safe! Let me know if you have any questions.