Home working is becoming more and more common, but what can you do to make sure you aren’t slacking in your own environment?
With communication and connectivity changing the way we work completely, it’s no surprise that more and more people are working from home more often. There are many benefits to working from home, including freedom, flexibility and a less pressing demand for constant childcare. However, with these benefits come a few challenges you’ll need to overcome – and chief among them is making sure you stay focused when you have all your home comforts around you. Also, if you own an online company with employees working from home, they can also find it difficult to stay motivated, get behind on certain tasks, or are unsure how well they are progressing. Therefore, it might be worth implementing something like a workload management tool to keep everyone on track and be able to give employees individual feedback on their performance.
So how can you make sure that you never lose focus when you’re working from home? Don’t worry, the expert team from Syntax IT Support London are here to share their best tips for boosting productivity when home working.
Plan ahead
The worst thing you can do when working from home is go in blind. Start every day with a to-do list that you can work your way down. That way, you’ll have proper evidence of your productivity no matter how much you feel like you’ve been slacking. This is especially important if you also have parental duties to manage, as making a list will ensure that none of your tasks – be they parental or professional – are forgotten about.
Take breaks and work in chunks
If you find that working for a solid 8 hours at your desk just isn’t realistic when you’re at home, find your own routine. This is one of the key benefits of home working, so you may as well take advantage of it. Take regular breaks throughout the day and work in ultra-productive chunks, finding the times when you feel most ready to work. If you find that mornings are the most productive time for you, do a solid chunk of work early on and afford yourself a small break during your afternoon slump. If you have kids, find a routine that works around their schedule too.
Cut down on distractions
Of course, working from home means you have a lot more choice when it comes to distractions. In the office, it’s a choice of either doing work or finding some other way to entertain yourself at your desk, whereas at home there’s your current Netflix series or your bedside read to tempt you away from your desk. There are even faux-productive tasks like cleaning the bathroom to keep you away from the work that actually needs to get done.
The secret here is ensuring that you have a designated workspace of your own, preferably your own study or office area. This will make it feel less like your home and more like a separate workplace.
Ensure your connection is protected and secure
Nothing slows down your ability to work like a problem with your connection. It’s one of the easiest things to fix though as many companies are now offering satellite internet and there even options for those seeking a more rural internet connection. Because when your connection isn’t great, at best, it can cause your productivity to dip and give you a headache to deal with. At worst, it could be the sign of a security breach which could put your documents and data at risk of hacking. This is why it’s also important to make sure that your online security is up to date with smart passwords, encrypted files, authentication processes and backed up files. If in doubt, seek the help of an IT support service to get you set up securely.
Use technology to help you
Nowadays, technology is everywhere we look. We even have items such as these sip phone systems that help us keep in touch with clients and other businesses. But while many of us may see other types of technology such as a smartphone as a deadly distraction from work, it can actually help you stay focussed. Take a look at some of the many apps out there designed to keep you working effectively.
