How To Be Productive When Working From Home
09 Feb, 20231 - 2 minutes
During the pandemic, working from home became the new way of life for many employees across the UK. With some employers choosing to keep their employees working from home, you may have found yourself in a scenario you wasn't expecting.
If you are finding it difficult to fulfill your role whilst not in the office, here’s our top 5 tips to make your work life easier and more productive.
Establish a designated workspace
If you have found yourself working from home, a designated work area is one of the first things you should set up in order to separate your home and work life in your mind.
Not only will this allow you to keep your work belongings tidy, it will also create a specific area for working so that this does not take over your whole house.
When choosing which area of your house to work from, you should consider how many distractions there will be and how much general noise surrounds that area.
Whilst there is nothing wrong with some background noise such as a radio, it is probably not a good idea to use a room with a TV in it, as this could be too distracting and result in you being less productive than usual.
It is also advised that you keep your work area as tidy as possible, just because you are at home and not in the office, you should maintain the same levels of tidiness. We all know the phrase, tidy house, tidy mind!
Some people may also choose to replicate exactly what their office setup looks like. If you have a picture or ornaments on your desk, you may want to add them to your home office for familiarity.
Stick to a routine
As well as a designated work area, sticking to a daily routine will also make working from home easier and it is likely to increase your productivity.
Your routine should start from when you get up in the morning to when you clock off in the evening. Setting a daily alarm is important and eating a healthy breakfast every morning will help you to fuel the day ahead.
Whilst it may be tempting to stay in your pyjamas when working from home, getting showered and dressed, just as you would for the office, will also help you feel ready for the working day ahead.
Once you have started work, we would recommend that you stick to the same break and lunch times each day so that you have a clear structure and consistency during the working day.
You should avoid taking breaks at your desk, to create a clear separation between work and break periods. Try to get out of the house if you have the time or at least move to another room for a change of scenery.
Communicate with your team
Just because you are working remotely from the rest of your team, it doesn’t mean that you need to be completely cut off from them.
There are still plenty of ways to stay in touch and effectively communicate with your colleagues in order to be productive. Platforms such as Zoom, Slack and Microsoft Teams have become increasingly popular ways for colleagues to stay in touch with each other whilst working remotely.
Not only is maintaining communication important for the needs of your company, but it is also important so that you don’t start to feel isolated. Loneliness could negatively impact your mental health and subsequently have an effect on your productivity and motivation.
Set boundaries for those around you
With many employees currently working from home, you may find yourself not being the only member of your household doing so.
If this is the case, it is important to set boundaries so that you do not become distracted from your work. You can politely ask that other members of your household do not disturb you during working hours.
If you have found yourself working from home with children in the house, arranging alternative child care could help you to concentrate and be more productive.
However, in some circumstances, childcare isn’t always readily available or affordable.
In these scenarios, we would recommend that you speak to your employer to explain your position and manage expectations. Most employers will understand that working parents have been placed in a difficult situation and they may be more flexible with your working arrangements.
Take advantage of not needing to commute
Even if you prefer working from the office, there are also many perks that come with working remotely so we would recommend that you enjoy them while they last.
By removing the need to commute to work, you may find yourself saving money - money which you could use to treat yourself or save for something important.
For some employees, the commute to work can be the most stressful part of their day, so cutting this out can result in a better start to the working day and therefore increase productivity throughout the day.
Who is Spencer Clarke Group?
Since 2017, we've been changing the face of recruitment. From our employees, to the way we do business, to the culture within our office, we're determined to make a difference and create a positive impact on everyone around us.
Recruitment to us isn't just about matching candidates and clients; we’re passionate about finding candidates the perfect job which has the ability to boost their salary and standard of living, better their work life balance and improve their mental health.
Similarly, we understand the impact which an experienced and skilled employee can make to a business and we love seeing clients thrive through the hard work of candidates which we have placed with them.
We operate in two sectors:
In eleven specialisms:
Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing
Corporate Functions & Business Support
Planning, Development & Regeneration
Highways, Infrastructure & Engineering
If you’re searching for a new role, why not visit our job page to take a look at the latest opportunities? Alternatively, upload your CV and one of our experienced consultants will contact you when a relevant opportunity becomes available.
If you’re struggling to fill a role, why don’t you give us a call on 01772 954200 to see how we can help? One of our consultants will be happy to listen to the challenges which you are facing and advise on the best possible solution for you.
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