Top 18 Tips to Keep You Focused While Working from Home

It’s easy to get lost in the joy of no time wasted on transit, no official attire, no clock-in time, and no staff meetings. But it is just as easy to get lost in a world of distraction, Netflix, and attention-demanding children. Even your laundry and pile of dishes will stare at you, begging for your attention! Working from home has become the new norm and supported by big companies, including Google.

While it works perfectly for many, for some, the self-discipline required to be your supervisor has proven to be an uphill task. Here are some top 20 tips that will guide you on how to stay focused while working from home:

1. Know Yourself

Are you a morning person, or do you perform better in the afternoon or evenings? Are you prone to loneliness and require the presence of others to remain motivated?

Understanding yourself is crucial. Identify your most productive time and create a routine that sets the pace of your day.

Do you require a cup of tea for focus? Working from home means you can get easily distracted, and you ought to set yourself up for success.

2. Write Things Down

A lot of time is spent in front of one screen or another, but nothing beats the sense of progress acquired every time you cross off an item from your To-Do List.

Write down the things you intend to accomplish daily.

Prioritize right by focusing on value-added activities and avoid just being busy. Also, avoid procrastination and do things as they arise, as far as possible.

3. Multiple Means of Communication

Use multiple means of communication like Instagram, Facetime, Facebook, etc., to keep yourself in touch with the outside world and stay updated with ever-changing technology.

4. Schedule Breaks

In the contemporary office setup, breaks are triggered by the movement of your colleagues. Without looking at the clock, you would easily know that it is time to take out those tea bags and enjoy a cup of loose leaf tea or go out for lunch.

While at home, you can easily get caught up in activities, and time sails on. Schedule breaks to maintain your sanity.

Whether you are ordering from an online tea and coffee shop for home delivery, or you are walking the dog. Take this time to seek meaningful human connections or respond to missed social calls.

Chat with family during scheduled breaks.

5. Designated Work Area

Create a designated work area to increase your focus.

If the new work arrangement is permanent, consider dedicating a room as your home office and furnish it appropriately.

If the arrangement is temporary, consider having a dedicated workspace. Carrying your laptop around the house will scatter your thoughts, decreasing your efficiency.

6. Minimize Digital Distractions

At the start of your working hours, consider freezing all social media applications. This helps you avoid random notifications that will have you look at your phone each time.

To prevent anxiety with Coronavirus, constant updates, block notifications for news, and unblock them when you can attend to them.

Also, close all non-work-related tabs on the computer.

7. Open the Window

It’s incredible how a little fresh air can stimulate new thinking patterns. Open the window for some self-nourishment and rejuvenation.

8. Avoid Total Isolation

Yes, the Covid-19 restrictions advise us to isolate. However, you are still human and need to feel continuously connected.

Schedule at least one daily social call or meeting for meaningful conversation.

9. Keep Your Teammates Updated

According to the Thrive Global Founder and CEO in Amsterdam, Priyamvada says it is important to check in on your teammates during the day over the phone.

This will help curb emotional exhaustion due to the loneliness of working alone from home.

10. Operate with a Schedule

Establish precise working hours. Nothing beats habit.

Set and stick to boundaries and a purposeful schedule. Identify your best hours and work them consistently.

11. Use a Productivity Timer

To enhance focus and give yourself a sense of accomplishment, use a productivity timer. You’ll allocate time to a task and know when to stop working on that task to avoid monotony.

12. Declutter

A cluttered workspace can keep your mind occupied with everything that needs to be done. To avoid this, tidy up the previous evening or before you start your day.

Save chores for later.

13. Eat Healthily

Avoid snacking all day. Eat meals in a different room and eat healthily.

Mindful eating equals a more productive rest of the day.

If you have to snack, then supplement your snacks with healthy loose leaf tea and coffee.

14. Automate Where You Can

Where possible, outsource mundane, non-value tasks to technology.

Use an admin assistant to set up automatic customer responses to social media posts and emails but don’t fail to give it a personalized touch. You do not want your answers to seem too robotic.

15. Stay active

To stay active, take a walk, do some yoga, or other forms of exercise, even do house chores. This is like hitting a quick reset button.

Your mental health and physical well-being will enhance productivity.

16. No Pajamas Policy

By getting out of your pajamas and dressing for success, you shift your mind from chill mode into work mode.

17. Self-care

Clear your mind first thing in the morning through meditation, reading daily affirmations, or breathing exercises. This will increase your energy levels and set your pace for the day.

18. Have a Clock-Out Time

Have a daily scheduled clock-out time and stick to it to avoid burnout. Create a ritual that sends signals to your brain that you are out of work, e.g., wash your face once you get up from your desk.

Your system then knows it’s time to wind down, and that’s it for the day.