Due to the pandemic, a lot of people are forced to do work from their homes. COVID-19 or the Coronavirus 2019, is a highly infectious disease. The virus has already affected thousands of people from different countries. Most governments have imposed community lockdowns to help prevent the spread.
Even with quarantines, life must go on. People who work in office settings are now confined in their homes doing their jobs. Working at the office and working from home are two complete experiences. When you’re working at the office, most people usually get the job done in one shift. However, in a more comfortable and personal space such as the home, people seem to take longer to finish.
If you’re one of those people who have hard time finishing tasks then this article is for you. These tips are especially effective when you’re at home. Here are some of the simplest yet most effective ways to improve productivity.
Time Management
Time management is the best way to increase your productivity when you’re working from home. Organizing your tasks by setting periods enables you to track everything better. One way to manage your tasks and time is by using the Tomato Timer method.
In this method, allocate 25 minute periods for your tasks and 5-minute breaks. For example, if you can do a job in an hour, try splitting the hour into 2 25 minute periods and 2 5 minute breaks. The 5-minute breaks ensure that you aren’t getting burned out by your task. For longer tasks, you can still use the pomodoro method. If you have 4 25 minute periods, you should take a 15-minute break after the 4th 25 minute period.
A Clean Workspace
Having a clean space to work is an ideal way to boost your productivity. A crowded desk will more likely have distractions when you’re working. When you clean your workspace, you’re also clearing distractions when it’s time for you to work. Rooms that are full of dust will also feel hotter than cleaner rooms.
Lights
Having the lights on will make you more energetic and positive towards your work. A well-lit area is one of the reasons why most people are more productive at the office. Turning on the lights is an effective practice to simulate office working conditions. Bright lights can make you energetic. The lights remove any gloomy feelings that might make you feel tired or uninterested.
Eating Right
If you don’t eat or drink anything for a long time, you’ll only add to the stress. When you’re working from home, make sure that you’re eating right and drinking a lot of water. Although eating high energy foods will keep you awake, keep everything in moderation.
Coffee can also help, but too much of it will make you lose significant amounts of sleep come night time. You should also avoid eating high protein foods such as turkey, chicken, and beef when you’re working. Food high in protein can lead to your body feeling more fatigued. If you can, try to avoid high sugar drinks such as cola, energy drinks, and artificial juices.
The sugar content in these drinks can keep you awake, but the effects are more undesirable. When the sugar in your blood spikes you can experience headaches and fatigue. Try replacing colas and coffee with healthy, homemade fruit juices. Drinking water and natural fruit juices are way better than artificially-made sugary drinks.
Limiting Distractions
Distractions are a real thing when you’re working at home. Sadly, you can only do so much to avoid distractions at home. For home-based jobs, a computer or any smart device and stable internet connection is a must. Although these tools are handy, they can also serve as distractions if used the wrong way.
Browsing the internet for non-work related stuff is also a common distraction. A lot of people will not notice the time wasted when searching the internet for random stuff. Being close to your bed is another distraction that causes people to drift away from their tasks. You’d be amazed at the stuff people search for instead of working.
To avoid these distractions from overwhelming you, try finishing your job early. When you’re done, you can do anything you want. Working from home is hard, but with the right discipline, it isn’t impossible.
Resting
Breaks are essential to keep your body and mind from being stressed. When full of stress, a lot of people tend to drift away from their tasks. Resting ensures that your body recuperates and reduces the stress you take in.
Takeaway
Now that most of the world’s population is working and staying indoors, a lot of people are having a hard time. Most aren’t well suited to working at home because of the varying conditions. The tips mentioned above will help people work at home more comfortably.
