Whether you work from home on your own, or work for a company but work from home, it takes a certain set of skills and habits to be really effective. One of the pay offs of working at home is the freedom and self-reliance, but what they don’t tell you is one of the biggest disadvantages are those exact same things. All that extra freedom and self-reliance isn’t for everyone. A lot of people find their productivity drops when they start working at home. Why is that?!
One of the most common reasons is that people’s work habits can be a direct reflection of their peer groups. Lots of people are driven by their peers. When you are surrounded by others at work, you have a built in sense of achievement when you do the same amount of work as your peers. When you are at home, you have no one to compare to and no one to drive you to keep up, so productivity levels can drop.
Also, when you are at home, there are numerous distractions at your fingertips. The TV is just around the corner, the fridge is only a few steps away, the laundry may call your name or the internet could easily distract you. The list goes on and on! All of these things you don’t have at work but are lurking in your home could be what’s pulling you away from getting your REAL work done.
So what can you do to ensure you increase your productivity? One key thing is to plan your day out ahead of time. Write it down! Write down what you want to accomplish and by when. Then stick to your plan. I’m sure you are well aware, some activities may require a specific amount of time dedicated, so schedule that. Or some things require a specific outcome to be completed, so don’t schedule anything till that’s done! And of course, make sure you prioritize your work load. Spending an hour counting and sorting paper clips by size and colour may be a fun project, but probably won’t lead to any business awards!
Another thing to keep in mind (and this works well for me) is to dress like you were going into the office. This simple psychological advantage will help keep your mind in the game and help keep you working. It’s a lot easier to crawl back into bed if you started off working in your PJ’s. (Trust me; I know this from firsthand experience!)
Creating a separate workspace can increase your productivity drastically. The designated work space will help keep your head in the game. If you don’t have the space to have an actual office set up, make sure you work somewhere quite with the least amount of distractions, and try not to work in a room with a bed in it. The temptation to nap may just be too strong!!!
On the flip side, you don’t want to lock yourself away so much that it feels like you are in prison. It’s important to get out of the house a few times a day to get some sun and fresh air. Plus stretching never hurt anyone! Go for a walk or a drive. This act alone will get your mind refreshed and keep it active. (But make sure you come back home haha)
If you decide you can’t work from home (And I really can’t!!!) then look into renting a shared office space. There are lots of places with extra offices they rent out to other business owners. You can get access to services and amenities and can be rented for relatively cheap. Another option is to rent just a room in an office building; it can be cheaper than renting a whole office on your own.
Working from home can be a very rewarding thing and can allow you a lot of freedom that most 9-5’ers don’t have, but it does have hidden dangers. Arm yourself with this knowledge and practice these concepts and you should do just fine.
So if you are reading this in bed at home in the middle of the week, you may want to get up and go for a walk!
To you and your success,
Ryan Smith – Chief Content Creator