Work From Home: 10 Tips to work efficiently from home.

Ever wondered about some tips to work efficiently from home, to increase productivity and efficiency at the same time? Working from home is an option most of us like to use due to various reasons but how to be efficient while working from home is a challenge too that we cannot ignore. Working from home is a great way to balance your life and also to give time to things important to you. It saves you time from the grueling daily commute in the traffic. It also gives you time to just unwind and be yourself.

But all this comfort comes with the challenge of many distractions around the house. Family, friends, neighbors, pets, babies, or just plain disturbing noises coming from outside, challenges are many. Working from home is a luxury that our respective companies provide us and it’s up to us to deliver the same work from home that you are expected to deliver in office. So, here are some tips on how to be more efficient while working from home.

1. Stop multitasking.

We all have this understanding that we are good at multitasking. Sadly, as much as we want to be good at it, we usually mess things up while multitasking. Replying to mails while talking on the phone with your friends, working on a report while watching cricket at the same time, we think we can handle it well but most often than not we end up mixing things up due to the lack of focus on the task at hand. So, stop multitasking and focus on one task at a time.

2. Establish boundaries for work and personal time.

It is very easy to get comfortable while working from home. You may take the liberty of thinking there is no harm in inviting a friend or family while you’re working. Avoid such distractions. Be very clear about the time when you have to work and keep that time aside from your personal time.

3. Take frequent breaks.

Sitting at home and working is very different from sitting at your desk in the office and working. At home, you won’t have any colleagues or friends to talk to while taking a break. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take any breaks. Take frequent breaks, make some tea and sip it on the balcony watching the raindrops, go out for a short walk, do anything to break the routine and give yourself time. This will definitely keep you fresh and increase your productivity.

4. Get dressed.

Sitting at home, you might feel too lazy to dress up, or take a bath, or even brush your teeth. Although working from home does give you all these liberties, but it’s better to avoid any such acts. Act like you’re in the office, freshen up, take a shower, put on fresh clothes and sit down to work. Doing so will keep your mind attentive and lead to more productivity than being a couch potato.

5. Get out of the house.

If you’re someone who finds it difficult to adjust to the comfort of working from home, then head out to a nearby coffee shop or a restaurant and work from there. There are a lot of places that provide you a place to sit with internet service. So freshen up and head out to that cafe you wanted to visit and work from there. This way you save the horrific commute in traffic to the office and also avoid the laziness that comes with being comfortable at home.

6. Get started early.

Working from home can mean you taking your sweet time to get to your work. Instead, get up early and use this productive time when your mind is fresh and get most of your work done. Starting early also means that you wrap up your work sooner and leave yourself ample time in the evenings for your personal chores.

7. Choose a dedicated workspace.

Always make sure you have a desk and a chair to work on whenever you take work from home option. Sitting on a couch or lying on your cozy bed and working won’t help you with getting your work done. It will just make you lazy and before you know it, you might doze and miss that important meeting with your boss. So dedicate some space at home specifically for working.

8. Use technology to stay connected.

It does get boring sometimes when you don’t have any colleagues beside you to talk with or share some tea with. Working at the office presents you with an opportunity to socialize and the potential to collaborate. So, make sure to check on your colleagues through various means like email, phone, instant messenger. Keep in touch with them will keep your mind alert and also you get to know all office gossips.

9. Pick a definitive start and finish time each day.

Before you start your day, set your goals and set a definite start and finish time for the day’s work. This helps you in being organized and achieve your daily goals. Stick to the deadlines set by yourself and see your productivity increase even while working from home.

10. Listen to some music.

With no colleagues around and no boss around, you are your own boss. So blast that music and get your work done or do whatever works for you. Music works like a drug, that keeps you attentive and focused on the job at hand. Music also helps you get over repetitive tasks like making reports and doesn’t let you get bored.

Working from home is a luxury which shouldn’t be misused. It saves you a lot of time and also money due to the long commutes to your workplace. So using it wisely and doing justice to it should be a priority for you. These 10 tips to work efficiently from home will surely manifold your productivity and it will make work from home a pleasant and enjoyable task. If you can follow these tips, you’ll see your productivity increase manifolds and your life getting simpler. I hope these tips help you in increasing your efficiency while working from home.

Author: Satish Mohapatra