Working_From_Home

Maximize Your Productivity While Working From Home

As many companies begin to require their employees to work from home due to the spread of the Coronavirus, people may find themselves taking on a brand new challenge: working from home. While working from home has its perks, it isn’t all about staying in your PJ’s all day and streaming your favorite shows as you work. It can be tough to get yourself into work-mode in the place that is usually for family time and relaxation, especially if you share your living space with roommates, a spouse or partner, or little ones that are home from school. 

As someone who has spent some time working from home in the past, but now works in a collaborative office environment, here are a few tips on how to maximize your productivity while working from home. 

Get Out of Bed

As tempting as it can be to keep hitting snooze until the last possible second, rolling over and grabbing your laptop and getting to work, don’t do it. You need time to wake up and recharge in the morning before you dive into the tasks on your to-do list, and if you don’t take that time you will never feel fully awake, causing your quality of work to suffer. Instead, wake up at your usual time, brush your teeth and wash your face, get changed out of your pajamas (even if it’s into a pair of sweats, we don’t judge!), put on a pot of coffee and get the day started. 

Keep a Routine

If you’re anything like me, a good routine keeps you sane. Just because you aren’t actually leaving your house to go to work, doesn’t mean you have to throw your daily routine out the window. If you normally wake up and workout, keep doing that even though you can’t go to your favorite gym. Have breakfast at your usual time, step away from work for lunch, and take breaks during the day like you would when you’re at the office. 

Create a Work Space & Set Working Hours

If possible, set up a space in your house that is designated for working. If it’s a home office, great, but if not, consider a dining room table, kitchen counter or even a spare bedroom. Set up your space like your office, with items like your chargers, materials, and important files close and easy to access. This can help you avoid distractions and keep you in work mode. 

When you’re working from home, it can be hard to disconnect and step away from work. If you can, set your normal working hours even when you’re at home. If you’re normally done around 5, try to finish everything up and step away from your computer at the normal time. Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you have to be available 24 hours a day.

Keep Communication

At 898 Marketing, our office is an open layout with no separate offices. We are constantly collaborating and talking, which creates a very team-oriented environment and has helped strengthen our company culture. Keeping in touch with your coworkers and clients is more important now than ever. Keeping everyone in the loop on projects is much easier when you can just turn around and give them an update, so keeping communication is key. 

Consider implementing a communication software so your team can stay connected throughout this period. At 898, we have started to use Slack, which has been an extremely helpful tool that is keeping us in touch, as well as keeping our projects managed. Another tool we use is GoToMeeting. We virtually meet to discuss what we are working on, go over what we need from clients and each other, and to get our fill of Brady’s dad jokes! Click here for some other free tools that can help maximize your productivity.

Stay Social 

In our office, social interaction is part of our everyday life. We aren’t cooped up in offices and distanced from each other, which encourages us to socialize while we work. The lack of social interaction that most people are used to, can be very isolating at a time like this. While we can’t get out and meet our coworkers or friends for happy hour, we can take advantage of technology like FaceTime to keep in touch and chat with our friends. Make time to connect with people and check in with them, after all, they’re stuck at home just like you! 

These are just a few tips to maximize your productivity while you’re working from home. If you have any tips of your own, please share them with us!

About the Author

Cailyn_Chrystal_ProfileCailyn Chrystal is a Project Manager at 898 Marketing.  Cailyn develops strategies and manages implementation of content through social media channels for 898 Marketing and it’s clients, as well as optimization strategies for websites and content. Cailyn is a native of Youngstown, Ohio, and a graduate of Duquesne University where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing Communications.

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