If the latest events around the world have caused you to start working from home, you may find it is more challenging than you thought it would be. Working from home brings great flexibility, but it also brings a large number of distractions. How can you maintain a good work-life balance, stay productive and work from home effectively? These five tips will help you do all three.
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Use Video Calling
One of the things you will miss working from home is interaction with your peers. Use video calling instead of phone calls to get that face-to-face interaction. You will see more facial expressions to read the nuances of what people are saying, and you will have slightly more personal interaction.
Video calling also makes you dress the part. Dressing professionally helps you get more done throughout the day.
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Separate a Dedicated Work Area
Create a separate work area and personal life area while working from home. You may not have room in your home for a full work office but dedicate a specific work area.
Once you have your work area, clock in at the start of your workday. Then when work is done, turn off the computer and leave the area. Keep work just in that workspace, so you can relax more easily at the end of the workday.
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Set Work Hours, and Stick to Them
Working from home gives you flexibility, but it can also make it difficult to stay away from work at the end of the day. Force yourself to set work hours, and stick to them.
This means you are not going to log in to check email quickly after dinner or finish that report in the early morning hours.
This may require setting some boundaries with coworkers or managers. Sometimes your work teammates will expect you to be more available since you are working from home. Protect your non-work hours, because you and your loved ones need your presence.
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Stay Off Social Media
During your work hours, avoid social media. Those quick checks can turn into 20 minutes of wasted time, and this hurts your productivity.
Log out of your accounts while working, and remove shortcut buttons to your favorite social media sites. This will keep you focused on work during your work hours.
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Invest in Personal Relationships
Working from home is isolating. You’re going to need your personal relationships even more during these unique days.
Do you have friends that live nearby? Schedule time to get together, either over video chat or in person, to keep those non-work relationships strong.
Are you dating or married? Spice things up with your significant other. You can shop the best selection of sex toys to make things more interesting in the bedroom, or simply look for ways to find romance outside of the bedroom.
Working from home, whether it is a long-term arrangement or short-term solution, brings challenges, but it can be rewarding too. Use these tips to keep yourself productive at home.
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