Do you want to work from home online and stay productive but don’t know how to get started? If YES, here are 20 tips & tricks on how to work from home successfully and effectively. There are instances where you are required to work remotely. For instance, as an online freelancer, you are required to work from home and communicate with your clients only when necessary. Working remotely from home is a cool idea.
You don’t have to spend hours in traffic trying to get to work and you don’t have to worry about annoying co-workers. But it requires a lot more to work at home and remain productive. You are bound to deal with a lot of distractions from family and friends when you work from home. Working from home does not necessarily have to be stressful or difficult. These tips will help you have a good time while working from home and enable you get more done.
20 Tips on How to Work from Home Successfully and Effectively
1. Create A Workspace
The first step to successfully work from home is that you have to create a workspace at home. It can be quite difficult to get into work mode when working on your bed or in your sitting room with your Television on. You need to create a workspace at home. You can convert your spare room into your home office. Creating a separate space in your home as your workspace helps you get into work mode easily.
2. Have A Long-Term Goal
You need to map out a long-term goal of what you wish to achieve in the long run. A long-term goal helps to keep you on track. Get a work journal today and outline your long-term work goals in it. You can divide it into monthly or weekly work goals. For instance, if you are a freelance writer, your goal can be to write 50,000 words in the next 30 days. Your work goals should be achievable and always include a deadline.
3. Have A Daily To-Do List
Before you start work each morning, you should make a to-do list of what you want to achieve for the day. It is easier to get carried away by distractions when working at home, but a to-do list will help keep you on track.
4. Get Dressed
While it is great to work at home in your pajamas, you may not have the motivation you need to get started with work when you are in your pajamas. One way to kick-start your workday at home and set a work atmosphere is to get dressed as if you are leaving for work.
5. Start Early
Research has shown that we are more productive in the morning. You will get more done when you start working first thing in the morning. It will also help you finish early and give you enough time to spend time with family and friends. So, instead of spending the morning going through your mails and social media accounts, get straight to work.
6. Break Down Tasks
You may get overwhelmed if you work straight through the day. You should break down your tasks into segments. Apportion a specific time for each task you have to get done for the day.
7. Tune out Social Media Distractions
Social media is one distraction you have to deal with when you work at home. One way to deal with social media distraction is to mute all your devices that have social media notification. You can take time in-between to go through your social media accounts.
8. Block Out Noise
Another issue you need to deal with when working at home is noise from family and those from outside the house. You can invest in noise proof windows and doors. It may cost you a fortune to get these installed, but you will achieve more at work when you don’t have to deal with background noise.
9. Stay Committed
You have to stay committed to achieve your goal for the day.
10. Save Calls For Later
You would most likely wish to make some calls to your friends, clients, customers or loved ones, but it is better to save the calls for later in the day. It can be quite difficult to regain focus to work after you have spent time making those friendly calls. The only exception here is if you have to call vital clients or customers.
11. Take Breaks In-between
Always include break time on your daily to-do list. You can spend your break time making those calls, or you can spend the time with your loved ones. You feel better refreshed and motivated to do more after your break periods.
12. Make The Most Of Technology
You may need to make use of technology to work effectively at home. There are some software and apps you can use to work effectively. The type of software you use depends on the type of work you do. For instance, if you are a writer, you can make use of words to speech software to get more done.
13. Music It Out
Music has always served as a motivator. You can stay motivated and abreast of your work by playing your favorite music in the background as you work.
14. Deal With Family Distraction
Besides social media distractions, you will also need to deal with family distractions especially if you have younger children at home. You need to inform your family that ‘daddy’ has to work between 9.00am to 5.00pm.
15. Be flexible
Your work schedule should be flexible to incorporate changes that may pop up in the future. There may be need to close early some days and work late other days.
16. Stay In Contact With Co-Workers
You also need to devise a way to keep in touch with your clients and coworkers constantly. Google hangout or Skype provides a great platform to keep in touch with clients and coworkers
17. Change Locations
There may be times when you need to change location to stay motivated. Look up for cafes or coffee shops with Wi-Fi to complete your work.
18. Know Your Closing Time
You have to schedule a time when you will call it a day from work.
19. Make Out Family Time
Family matters more. Your work shouldn’t keep you away from spending time with your family. Make out time after work hours to spend time with your family.
20. Self-Discipline Matters
Without self-discipline, every other point outlined here remains ineffective. It is self-discipline that lets you know that it is time to start work for the day. Try to build your self-discipline muscles constantly.