Working from home tips part 1

At GreenQube we set companies up so that their entire staff can work remotely. Sometimes it can be quite an adjustment for an employee to work from home.

Shifting to a home work environment can be fun at first, but it can become difficult to maintain productivity after a few weeks of working in a make-shift workspace. There are two parts to our post - part one deals with practices and activities that help with organization and mental clarity.  

Part two deals with products that can make you more comfortable and more productive. Today let’s look at some activities that can keep you focused and on task.  

1. Keep up your routine – Stay in step with what you would normally do if you were going into the office. Get up at the same time, get dressed, have breakfast and coffee at the same hours each day. Keeping your mind and actions in the same rhythm will help your focus and clarity. If you normally stop at 9:30 for a break at the watercooler, do the same at home. 
2. Stay on track – There are many apps to keep us organized. But for them to be effective we must actively use them. Follow your office’s project management tool or find your own to use to keep up with to-do’s. A great book about personal organization is Getting Things Done by David Allen. 

3. Stay organized - On your desk have a place for items that need action. Keep an In box, Waiting On box, and trash can handy. Each day go through all papers in those boxes and address them.

4. Take breaks – Just like when you are at the office, you take breaks for drinks, lunch, snacks and to chat with a friend. Find the time to do the same when WFH. Productivity experts vary on how often and duration of breaks but finding 10-15 minutes per hour seems to be the norm.

4. Set limits – Help others in your home understand your working boundaries. Make a do not disturb sign or close your door, or have a visual cue for them to know when you can’t be disturbed. Set boundaries with a defined time for yourself as well, so you will stop working and transition your mind back to home life.

5. Walk outdoors – Some days working from home would give us zero reasons to walk outside. If you don’t consciously make an effort to walk outside you may not go out all day! Make an effort to walk to get the mail, drink your coffee on your balcony, or move your exercise routine outdoors. 

Practicing these few exercises can make you more productive and happier as you work from home. In our next post, we’ll look at some things to make you more comfortable as you work from your home office.