4 Ways To Amplify Your Productivity When You’re Working From Home

Photo by Štefan Štefančík on Unsplash

Working from home can be the ultimate freedom. While having the ability to work where you want, whenever you want is the goal for many – it is a lifestyle that takes motivation and discipline.

If you have no one to answer to in person each day or a team work environment pushing you to complete your tasks, it can be hard to stay on track. While being your own boss is rewarding, it doesn’t mean that working alone should stifle your productivity.

In order to be truly successful working from home, there are several ways you can plan your day, meet every deadline and fulfill your client’s expectations.

If you’re looking to amplify your productivity, here are 4 ways you can get your work done effectively while working from home.

Develop a Morning Routine

The first way to ensure that you are productive is to develop a morning routine that jumpstarts your day. In fact, the best way you can ensure that you have a positive and successful work session is to omit any type of business from your morning rituals.

Instead of jumping up from bed to sit at your laptop, take an hour to yourself. This could include making a cup of coffee, breakfast, journaling, reading a book, watching something light and entertaining on TV or even meditating.

You could even start your day with a workout to get your blood flowing and brain sharp for the day. An exercise in the morning is proven to increase your productivity. So, whether you hit the gym or even take a small walk – being active can set the tone for the rest of your day.

By developing a morning routine, you are able to relax and prepare yourself to start work with the energy and drive to complete your projects.

Make a To-Do List for the Day

After your morning routine, it’s time to work. But, before you dive into your first project, consider making a to-do list for your day. A to-do list will boost your productivity by allowing you to write down the tasks that need to be completed.

Place the priority, “must-do” tasks at the top of your list and check them off as you complete them. Then, make another column for on-going tasks that can be worked on, but do not have to be finished that same day.

You should do this daily to keep your affairs in order and projects on track. If you’re feeling extra motivated, consider making a to-do list for the entire week. When new ideas pop up, add them to your list. This is a definitive way for you to balance your assignments and keep every project on the track to completion.

Take Breaks When Needed

The one thing that we often forget when we work from home is to take a break. Since our tasks are plentiful and there is no one around to ask you to get lunch or grab a coffee, you can easily fall into a deep work hole.

While it’s important to stay focused and on task – taking breaks is a neccessary habit to remaining productive for the entire day. The best way to do this is to take breaks frequently that cause you to get up, stretch and pause your brain for a few minutes. Especially if you are staring at a computer all day, taking a break will give your eyes a rest from the constant screen time.

Sitting for too long at your desk or staring at your computer for an extended period of time can be detrimental to your overall well-being. Be wary of pushing yourself too hard. By overworking yourself, you will only leave room for turning into a tired, unproductive worker.

The best way to make sure you work in a way that is healthy and smart, is to space out your working hours. If you need to put in a set number of hours per day, break them up with breaks for lunch, coffee or even a workout.

The beauty of working from home, is that you don’t have to adhere to the typical office culture. As long as you are producing quality work, you can create a schedule that works best for your productivity.

Schedule Work Hours That You Can Follow

The final way to increase your productivity when working from home is to create a schedule with work hours that you can follow.

Tying it back into the idea of taking frequent breaks, you should also aim to only work when you have scheduled the time. This means that all aspects of work fit into a certain time slot and anything outside of that means you’re off the clock.

Once you have finished for the day – put away your emails, log out of any accounts and take this time to be social, do something new or focus your attention to personal projects.

If we view work as a day that never quite ends, we will diminish our productivity. The best way to be productive every day is to create limits that work for you. Don’t stay up until midnight finishing a deadline and miss your 7 a.m. alarm. And, don’t wake up at 1 p.m. thinking you’ll be able to fall asleep on time later that evening. These little diversions off your schedule can cause lasting issues with your work flow.

The decision to work from home can be a beneficial one. Many people prefer the solitude of working from home and feel as if they are better workers outside of an office. Yet, in order to maintain this lifestyle – you need to focus on how you can better your working life.

Be sure to have a morning routine, create a to-do list for the day, take breaks when needed and schedule work hours that you can follow. By making these small, yet significant changes you can effectively amplify and increase your productivity.