How To Stay Motivated and Efficient Working From Home

Working from home has become the norm for most of us. Although many companies are planning to go back to an in-office model, more and more are choosing to work remotely for good. There are many benefits to working from home. It has even been proven that employees are often more productive when working remotely.

However, it can be difficult to stay motivated and efficient when working from home, especially if it’s a new concept for you. While you don’t have your co-workers to distract you and you can focus on exactly what you need to do, your home environment brings its own set of distractions.

Luckily, there are many tips and tricks to help you stay focused and productive. Keep reading to find out how to stay motivated and efficient when working from home.

Have a Dedicated At-Home Workspace

A challenge to working at home is that you associate your home with leisure time, making productivity difficult. You can ease this problem by having a dedicated workspace. Ideally, this space will be for work only. If possible, convert a spare room into an office space. Furnish with everything you need to be productive, including a comfortable chair, desk with enough space, and a good-sized computer monitor.

If you don’t have space to dedicate a whole room to work, try to find some space in a room with another purpose. For most people, a small desk with space for a desktop computer or laptop, and space to write notes is enough.

For most people, a small desk with space for a desktop computer or laptop, and space to write notes is enough.

If you have to work at a space you already use for leisure, choose one location only. For example, work at the dining table every day. Don’t move from the dining room to the lounge to your bedroom etc. This will still help in associating one space in particular with work.

Additionally, make sure the workspace you choose is:

• Quiet with minimal distractions

• Has good lighting

• Is comfortable

• Is tidy and clutter-free

• Has all the space you need

• Has access to everything you need. For example, an outlet to charge your laptop as you work.
  

If possible, you could also consider working at a coffee shop or co-working space. Or, if the weather is nice and your internet connection allows, try working outside.

Set Working Hours and Stick to Them

Having set times you’ll work is important in helping you stay motivated and efficient while working from home. These hours may be decided already by your employer. If not, think about when you work best and how many hours you need to work each day, and create a schedule. Then make sure you stick to these times, starting your workday at the same time each day.

Along with starting at the same time every day, finish your day at the same time. It can be easy to just keep working when at home if you have tasks to finish. However, having personal time is crucial to being efficient when working at home. Overworking too frequently is likely to cause burnout which will damage productivity in the long term.

Like in an office job, you may need to do overtime now and then but try not to do this consistently. If you do need to work overtime, consider ending your day earlier the next day.

Use Productivity Methods and Applications

If you find it difficult to stay motivated and productive, you aren’t alone! Many people have problems with productivity. Therefore, you can find a range of applications and productivity methods to help you stay motivated and efficient while working from home. The Pomodoro method is a popular choice. This is when you work in 25-minute increments, taking a 5-minute break in between. After four sets of 25 minutes, you can take a longer 15 to 20-minute break.

Try using a time management method like the Pomodoro technique to break your down into intervals separated by short breaks.

Minimize Social Distractions

A big part of staying motivated and efficient while working from home is removing distractions. When working at home, friends and family may think they can contact you and drop in whenever. Make sure it’s clear that they cannot.

Let friends and family know your work hours and that they shouldn’t call or visit during those hours. If you have a work phone, provide the work number to close personal contacts for emergencies only. Also, ensure children are being occupied if at home. Make it clear to them when you’re working and that you shouldn’t be disturbed.

Minimize Other Distractions

Along with possible social distractions like being disturbed by friends and family, minimize personal distractions. While working, don’t open personal websites like social media sites. If needed, use blocking software that can stop you accessing these sites during your work hours. Alternatively, when working use an incognito browser or a new user account on your computer that doesn’t have any of your logins or bookmarks.

If you have a work phone or aren’t expecting work calls, don’t bring your personal phone into your workspace. Try to ignore texts and personal emails. Do this by not having access to your phone or personal email during your work time or by turning off notifications.

Remove pets from your work environment too if they will bother you. Either leave them in another room or have someone take care of them during your work time.

Reward Yourself

It can be more difficult to get motivated and stay productive when working at home. Therefore, try to reward yourself for getting your work done more than you would when in-office. This can include rewarding yourself after finishing major tasks, after every few hours of work, or just at the end of the day. These little rewards can help you in getting motivated and staying motivated. Just make sure you only allow yourself these treats when the required work is completed!

Little rewards can help you in getting motivated and staying motivated.

Conclusion

Working at home brings many advantages. Even if working remotely isn’t an ideal situation for you, you may find new ways to increase your productivity and work enjoyment.

However, there are of course challenges for all remote workers, no matter how much they enjoy this setup. While it can be difficult to stay motivated and efficient working from home, there are many things you can do to keep your motivation, efficiency, and productivity high.

Hopefully, these tips can help you to make the most out of your working at home experience whether it is for the short term or the long term. Remember, that what works for one person won’t always work for another. So be sure to try a range of workspaces, working hours, rewards, etc. to discover what works best for you!