5 Organization & Productivity Tips for Working from Home

Many employers are scrambling to keep businesses in action and available for clients and customers. Having a workforce working from home is new to many businesses. For many employees, this is quite the adjustment as well. 

Working from home isn’t a new way of working and so for many employees, work from home has been a part of their careers/business since internet made its way on the scene. No matter the history- the future is definitely remote. The global pandemic in action is making work from home a very new reality for all things to stay afloat. It’s happening and happening fast. 

This piece is all about work from home organization and productivity. It doesn’t what we did before, going forward, all employers and employees have to adapt to this new way of getting work done. 

Creating a Designated Workspace or Home Office

It is very important to have a space that is dedicated to your work. The first step in your “work from home” adjustment is to designate a space in your home, specifically for getting work done.

Having a designated workspace is one key recipe to work from home success. This could be an empty or spare bedroom that you convert to a workspace. Working from the bed, couch, or poolside doesn’t work for everyone. But everyone does work and spark creativity differently. 

A designated workspace is usually away from others, away from family spaces. This way, you can focus and maintain maximum productivity- but- everyone doesn’t require this. For others, working in teams works best and so, the noise of the team is the fuel they need to get things done. If this is the case, a little noise in the background may be best for getting things done. 

Identifying what works best for your workspace/work environment, is important for work from home success. 

Technology- Quality and Speed

Setting up a home office or workspace may require a small investment. Similar to starting a new business, technology may have to be upgraded/purchased. Because of social distancing and isolation, meetings and conferences will be happening via audio and video software like: Slack, Skype, and Zoom. Depending on the nature of your work, you may also need to purchase hardware or software to support day to day responsibilities. 

To-Do Lists May Help Keep the Focus

Working from home without your team and manager can potentially cause one to lose track of deadlines. Try to get into the habit of reviewing the priorities for each day, first thing in the morning and sticking to the list. A planner can help with this, but there are also a lot of task management tools that make working from home a lot easier.

Get Out of Your Pajamas and Out of the Living Room

Changing out of comfortable sleep clothes can help with motivation. “Dress for success” isn’t just a corporate catchphrase- it really matters. Getting out of sleep attire will help you spark up and get into work mode. Working from the living room, in front of a television, can create a massive distraction. If you are working from the living room in your pajamas- it could be the ultimate recipe for disaster.

Create a Schedule and Announce It

Sticking to and announcing your schedule will help everyone become of aware of your work time boundary. It is important to remember that, the only thing that changes when working from home, is that you’ll be working from home. Scheduled will help keep things organized and productive. 

Move Around- Ergo Breaks Are Necessary 

Your endorphins need a boost and so- getting up and stretching is important. Happy endorphins mean: happiness, enjoyment, and interest levels, and all of those contribute to productivity. It is also important for your posture that you are not sitting in the same place all day. Without a manager and teammates reminding you to take breaks, long sit periods are likely to happen. Setting an alarm can help.