Eight Tips for Staying Productive While Working from Home

You have the best place to work in the world. Shoes are not required and you can eat at your desk all you want. You can even take your laptop and work outside if the weather’s nice. But even though you work from home in the best possible atmosphere, it doesn’t mean it’s always productive. One second you’re working hard, the next you hit a mental block and decide to check Facebook to see if it will help get you thinking. Before you know it, you’ve put your feet up on your desk, leaned back in your chair, and closed your eyes for just a minute. Next thing you know, it’s an hour later, and you’ve barely gotten any work done.

If you want to be more productive while you’re working from home, you need to start your day out right. Here are eight solid tips for helping you stay productive at home.

1. Set an Alarm

Most people who work from home get to choose their own hours. However, that makes it all too tempting to skip the alarm clock and wake up whenever you feel like it. You’re only setting yourself up for failure. Sleeping in makes you feel lazy and it makes it harder to get to work when you need to. Instead, set an alarm and get up when it rings. You can maybe push snooze once. You’ll be amazed how much better you feel all day long.

2. Get Ready for Work

Yes, you can work in your pajamas and fuzzy socks if you want. But that doesn’t mean you should. One of the best ways to feel more productive is to dress like you’re going into a real office. Hop in the shower when you wake up, wear a nice ensemble, do your hair and makeup (if applicable), and wear shoes to your desk. It’s not as comfortable, but that’s the point. You need to feel like you’re at work in order to get the most work done.

3. Start with a Healthy Breakfast

Wake up early enough to eat a healthy breakfast, and resist the temptation to skip it. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. It helps you to feel more alert and less distracted. You’ll be able to focus better and not lose your thoughts. A nutritious breakfast is integral to productivity.

4. Organize Your Workstation

Whether or not your messy workstation is bothering you, take the time to organize it before you begin working. Put pens in their jar, neatly stack papers, remove food wrappers, and straighten anything else that might be cluttering your desk. Make a plan for your day including specific deadlines to help you stay on track the whole day.

5. Set Your Cell Phone on Silent

The constant buzz of text messages and phone calls during the time you’re supposed to be working is probably one of the biggest interruptions to your work. Unless you use your cell phone for work purposes, treat it as you would if you worked in an office, and set it on silent. Only check it during designated breaks and lunch.

6. Block Social Media

Social media is a huge distraction. It’s so easy to shut down your brain for just a few minutes while you scroll the endless pages of Pinterest. But it’s one of the worst kinds of distractions when you need to be working. Do yourself a favor and block social media sites on your personal computer until the end of the day. This one simple move will make your productivity soar.

7. Go for Walks

Unfortunately, if you work from home, it probably means you spend most of your time at a desk. Fortunately, you work from home, so you’re allowed to take walks whenever you need a break! A short walk will not only keep you from becoming a couch potato, it will also help to energize your mind and keep your creative juices flowing.

8. Talk to Someone

Some telecommuters spend a lot of time on the phone. Others don’t talk to anyone all day long. If that’s you, take a few minutes each day and talk to someone. No, talking to your boss through email doesn’t count. Call your mom, make a dentist appointment, or order pizza. That one moment of daily interaction will do wonders for you. The small moments of human interaction are what keep you sane in your world of solitude.

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