Productivity Tips for Home Workers

The ability to work from home can be an excellent arrangement for both the employee and the employer - the trick is to ensure that productivity doesn't take a dive in the process.

Below are a few of our productivity tips for home workers. Follow this advice and you'll find that department managers and team members alike make the most of remote working and maintain high levels of output throughout the week.

Create a dedicated workspace

If you find yourself easily distracted, you definitely need a dedicated home office.

It doesn't have to be large but it does need to make you feel like you're at work.

If you don't have space for this, instead convert a corner of an existing living area or bedroom into a home office setup and try to face away from the rest of the room.

The more this space accommodates your working requirements, the more quickly you'll get used to home working and smash through your to-do list.

Maintain regular hours

It's very tempting to get up later than usual when working from home, simply because your workstation is only a few dozen feet away.

However, moving straight from your bed to your desk really isn't a good idea, as you don't give your mind and body a chance to prepare for the day ahead.

We recommend getting up at the time you normally would when commuting to the office.

Make the most of this extra half hour or so - aside from enjoying a nutritious breakfast, you could also read a chapter of a business book, go for a short walk or even do a bit of exercise in the garden.

Anything that fills you with energy and inspiration is a great use of your time.

Set ground rules

Is your partner in the house all day too? Are the kids home from school? Do you have a housemate or live with a relative? They need to understand that even though you're at home, you're actually at work.

Your job can be done just as effectively from your home office just as long as people give you the space you require, which is why you absolutely must set some ground rules that keep everyone on the same page.

This is as much for their benefit as it is for your own, so don't feel guilty about it.

Take your breaks

Though many home workers are tempted to get up later than usual, they then become accustomed to skipping breaks simply because there aren't other people around them.

As well as rising at the normal time, you also need to make sure to take your breaks and a full lunch hour every single day.

Failure to do so will inevitably lead to burnout, which puts an end to productivity altogether.

Go outside

When working in commercial premises you'll go outside at least twice that day - when travelling to work and again when you're coming home.

Chances are you'll pop outside on your lunch house and maybe during breaks too, which even on a dull and rainy day offers some fresh air and a change of scenery.

Working from home makes it very easy to not go outside at all, which really isn't very good for your productivity and mental health.

If you have a garden, visit it at least once a day. If you don't have one, go for a quick walk around the neighbourhood.

If it's chucking it down, open the door and stand on the doorstep for a minute.

That last one may sound silly but even a tiny bit of the outdoors can help us to reinvigorate our minds and tackle tasks with renewed vigour.

Communicate clearly

You'll now be using your hosted desktop to communicate in a variety of ways.

Video calls, instant messenger, email, project management platforms, WhatsApp Web and the direct message feature on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are all used by remote workers every single day.

Whilst digital communication is fantastic and helps us to keep track of topics of discussion, it can also lead to us communicating vaguely and hastily.

To help your colleagues understand what it is you need from them, always invest a few extra seconds into checking an email or message before you send it.

You should also use clear language during video calls because body language is limited, plus allocating a minute taker for meetings is an excellent way to ensure accurate and consistent documentation.

Two screens can enhance workflow

Having dual monitors isn't a luxury anymore, it's widely acknowledged as being a genuine productivity booster! Research has shown that employees who use two screens get more done due to tasks taking less time to complete.

The more streamlined the system, the more you achieve.

Simple actions such as closing one window and opening another don't just take up valuable seconds that accumulate over the course of the day, they can also disrupt our focus.

Flitting back and forth from a document to an email is another prime example, which having two screens makes much more fluidic.

And then there's video calls - having your meeting on one screen and being able to access files unimpeded on the other is a fantastic way to optimise the way you work.

Switch to a hosted desktop

Want to get more done whilst working from home? Hosted desktops from GoCloud ensure a fast, smooth, secure and highly productive user experience from any device. To find out more, get in touch on 01482 751133 or email hello@gocloud.co.uk.