10 Powerful Tips to Increase Your Productivity at Home
For many, working from home seems like a dream come true. The ability to set your own hours without a supervisor seems like it would be easy. In reality, without motivation and with a variety of distractions in the home, being your own boss can be pretty difficult.
By following these 10 powerful tips, you can stay on track throughout the day.
1. Get into a routine
Having a routine every working day is the quickest way to tell your brain that it’s time to work. For many, this means waking up, showering, putting on a suit and eating breakfast as if the freelance position were taking place in an office setting. But for those who prefer to work in their pyjamas as soon as they roll out of bed, try taking a moment to make a cup of coffee or walk around the block. However you choose to start your morning, you should do it every day.
2. Have office hours
While part of a freelancing’s appeal is the ability to work whenever one feels like it, having set working hours is an easy way to stay on track. These hours should include some time during the typical 9-5, but it isn’t a necessity. Setting office hours gives clients an excellent idea of when they can contact you, making the freelance position seem more professional.
3. Remove background distractions
Just like when doing homework, many freelancers want to listen to music or watch television while they work. These simple distractions in the background can slow productivity, even if you don’t think they are distracting. When someone has noise in the background, their brain still needs to process the extra sound. By eliminating these distractions and working in a quiet environment, the brain can use more of its energy on the task at hand.
4. Have a dedicated workspace
When working from home, it is very easy to grab a laptop and start working on the couch or on the bed. Having a more distinct place to work will help get the mind in the working mood.
For example, when sitting up in bed, the mind typically prepares itself for sleep. Sitting up at a desk or table in a specific area of the home can help train the brain, increasing overall productivity.
5. Block unrelated programs and social media
Another distraction when working with computers is social media, email programs, online stores and other websites that aren’t related to the tasks at hand. Facebook games, chat, YouTube videos, etc. are some of the most distracting and addictive productivity eaters. If possible, block these applications from your computer. This will prevent these distracting websites from being used during work hours.
6. Respond to clients in the afternoon
Clients always want new things and want to be heard, but keeping your emails open constantly is a distraction. Setting a specific time to check and respond to emails is important. So one trick is to only respond in the late afternoon. This way, you are still responding within one business day.
7. Do important tasks as quickly as possible
Not every aspect of a job is going to be urgent. Try working with the client to see what is important to them and their project.
8. Track progress with a timer
Almost every job uses a timer and a freelance position should be no exception. From a young age, people are trained to focus until they hear a bell. Try setting a kitchen timer to 50 minutes and focusing until the timer stops. Then take a 20 minute break to eat lunch, go to the restroom or watch television.
Another trick is to set the timer for only 15 minutes, which allows the brain to start focusing, and then work until the job is done even after the timer stops.
9. Start with the hardest task first
The idea here is that after completing the hardest task of the day, everything else will seem easy. This will also give you a sense of accomplishment early in the day, which can be a huge boost to self esteem, leading to increased productivity for the day.
10. Make time for play
Making time to do important parts of a job is important, but it is also important to schedule free time. It is easy to lose yourself in work, especially if you have a seemingly unlimited amount of clients. Even obsessive social media marketing can be the downfall of some freelancers. If your mind is always working, it will eventually get burned out.
Scheduling fun activities may seem like a solution, and while they are encouraged, sometimes it is best to just let your mind take a break for a few hours.
SOURCE: Onextrapixel
