I have had some years of experience working from home and long before Covid struck I was already writing my articles for hours from home every day. Since last year, the whole working from home has really taken off and many more people are working from home than before. But what about productivity when working from home? You hear different stories about it and I also think that opinions are strongly divided on this subject. One of the reasons for this division is that working from home is not a good fit for everyone. It seems very nice, and as far as I am concerned it is, but it is not always easy. You need quite a bit of discipline to actually get something done. Now I am very disciplined myself, so that makes a difference. But there are more things that can help you on your way!
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I would like to give you some tips on how to increase your productivity while working from home. As said, a little discipline can't hurt, so we'll start with that. But there is more…
I sometimes hear people around me say.. 'well, you are so disciplined, I can't hear that'. What nonsense! Yes, I may have it a little more naturally in me, but I also know that I was spoon-fed. My father was military. A responsible, disciplined man who expected the same qualities from his wife and children. As a child, of course, I was also regularly a flierefluiter. Looking at my school days, I've eaten quite a bit that doesn't quite fit within the framework of discipline. My father would certainly agree if we could ask him 😉 .
Yet I know of myself that I can bite into something horribly. And that simply has to do with the proverbial 'kick in the ass'. You can get it from someone else, but you can also give it to yourself. Don't wallow in pity, but get on with it. This way you are the first to increase productivity when working from home. Don't stay in bed longer than usual, but just get started.
Do you normally work in the office and are you now working from home more often? Just stick to your office routine. Get up at the same time (well, fifteen minutes later is allowed of course), shower and get dressed. Eat, brush your teeth and sit in front of your PC or laptop. It's that simple. Do you normally clean your countertops and load or unload the dishwasher before going to work? Then you now have time for that. Don't you normally do that and do you see how the flag hangs in the evening? Then you can!
By the way, you might think it's nice to sit in front of your PC unwashed in your pajamas or jogging suit, but my advice is not to do this. You are less fresh, less alert and work with less focus. In the 11 years that I now work from home, I have not spent a day in my pajamas behind my PC. Not one!
Do you want to stay productive or increase your productivity while working from home? Don't forget to take a break too. Nothing is more important than a break to recharge in between. Of course you have to eat first. But do you still have time to spare compared to your normal break? So don't forget to take a walk. Get some fresh air to clear your head. Then you can continue with your work with a renewed sense.
Even though I am disciplined, I have one pitfall:my planning for the day. I can jump from scratch when it comes to planning and that is not a good quality. I like to do things that I can do quickly first, so that I can cross them off my to-do list. But that also means that there is a danger in things that take longer to complete. I'll put that on hold and that's disastrous for your schedule. It is better to create time blocks in which you still get started with the tasks you have lying around.
For example, plan daily blocks of time for certain parts of your work. For me, such a time block can be planning social media, for example. Or take pictures. Or write lyrics. Or work on the SEO of my website. These are undoubtedly different tasks for you. But working on similar tasks in a certain time block makes you work more effectively. This increases your productivity while working from home, but also while working at the office. Do you find it difficult to determine this for yourself? Then a time management course might be something for you. Here you learn to get a grip on your working day, its layout and the implementation of your planning. You bring structure to your tasks and your day again and you learn that distraction - in whatever form - is the biggest culprit.
An open door perhaps. But very important:don't get distracted! There's nothing worse for your productivity than distraction. Whether you work from home or work in the office, distraction is disastrous for effective work. And this isn't always about distraction from other people. Or by your children if you work from home, for example. No, it also concerns, for example, social media distraction. Or distraction through your mailbox. You will not be the first to open his mail immediately because a pop-up always appears during work when an e-mail arrives. For example, I am guilty of this as well. I know it's bad for my focus and concentration and yet I can't help but watch.
Since I don't have huge problems with my planning I take this for granted, but if you know that this is your pitfall and you want to work from home and still increase your productivity, then here is your first profit.
If you're sick, you're sick. Whether you work from home or not. A lot of people continue to work at home when they are sick and I personally don't think that is smart. When you are sick, your body needs rest. If you continue to work (and I am of course not talking about a cold), you will stay ill longer. Your productivity is not only worse on the days when you are sick and still want to 'work', but you are also less productive for longer. It is better to take good care of yourself. Get well soon and get back to work in a healthy way.
It has been proven! Greenery in the office (and therefore also when working from home) increases your productivity. So buy some nice plants and decorate your office space with greenery. Don't overdo. It doesn't have to be a complete jungle and if you don't have green fingers, you naturally opt for easy office plants. Or follow a free online course for plant care in addition to your time management training 😉 .
Do you think it doesn't matter? Then you're all wrong. Your body also needs sufficient energy when working behind your PC or laptop. Do you want to be able to think clearly? Then you have to take good care of yourself. Even if you are not sick. If I drink coffee all day long and eat sweets, and if I don't have a decent breakfast, for example, things go completely wrong. Besides not being good for my weight, it is also not good for my productivity on that particular day with working from home. Drink plenty of water in between. Start with a good breakfast and have an apple or something similar in between.
It keeps you fresher and I'm sure you will perform better than if you eat all kinds of sugars, salt and fats. Of course I don't mean to say that you can't drink coffee and you can't have a cookie with the coffee. But here too the basis is important for your effectiveness.
If you want to increase your productivity by working from home, a nice workplace at home is also important. Working at the dining table is of course possible, but if you have the opportunity to really create your own place for yourself, it is better for your productivity. If you're sitting there, you're working. And if you don't work, you're not in that place either. Mentally it works in such a way that you unconsciously adjust to work and not work in this situation and that is exactly what you want.
Finally, I want to give you this tip. There is a good reason for a clean desk policy. It wasn't just created by the business community for the pretty picture. It also really does something to your head. If you work at a tidy desk, your head will be clearer. You will see things better and your productivity will be higher than if you work at a desk that is full of piles of paper and completely cluttered.
