Remote work has become a trend in the past few years, the one that not only directly affects your employer’s costs, but also helps you avoid all the disadvantages of working in an office environment. Working from your own home, however, can put you in a position to control your freedom, which alone is enough to stop looking for an office job. It’s also a fact that companies have accepted this trend wholeheartedly and are accepting the fact that remote work is both good for them and their employees.
That said, there are certain pitfalls when it comes to working from a home office, especially when it comes to maintaining efficiency. This guide will try to cover some of the best tips you can use to stay efficient, all while working from your home.
Get a Room
The main disadvantages when it comes to working from home are all the distractions that home environment brings with it. The fact is that distractions are the number one productivity killer and creating your own personal space can go a long way to help you keep the productivity level that you want. Let your family members know that you don’t want them asking random questions while they’re walking through the flat, or at least find a spot that is most suitable for you to stay focused on your work. The best way to deal with this is to really plan which room is going to offer you the most of the personal space that you need for your work.
This is usually the most secluded room, but don’t despair, because you can turn it into a perfect home office.
Set Your Work Hours
It may seem that working whenever you can is one of the main advantages of working from home, but that’s actually one of the mistakes most freelancers make. Yes, you can choose your own hours and you should, but you should also get in the habit of working during the same hours every day. It all depends on you whether you’ll work in the morning, during the day, or in the afternoon, but you should definitely make the habit out of it, which will also let you be clear about when you’re available when it comes to communicating with your employer.
Customize
Most remote workers make the mistake of trying to replicate the office environment. So what’s the point of working from home if you’re actually going to feel like you’re in an office? The fact is – you’ll want to avoid anything and everything that reminds you of a corporate environment if you’re really to up your productivity. It’s a proven fact that people work best when they’re self-motivated, which is why you’ll want to customize everything around you to suit your needs. This especially applies to your desk, since what you need and what you want might be completely different things.
Be happy about your workplace, and you’ll undoubtedly improve your productivity.
Declutter Your Desk
Let’s be honest here, clutter can really mess things up for you when it comes to being productive from your own home. Sure, it can be hard to watch out for all the little things and keep everything where it’s supposed to be, but you should always be aware of the fact that clutter decreases productivity. So, to stay on top of your game, you need to designate a very special place for all the stuff that you think you need but you actually don’t. If it gets that far, you can even label your drawers in order to know immediately where all the junk that seems important to you is located.
If you’ve really got too much stuff around you, it might be worth storing the stuff you don’t think you’ll need in a supercheap mobile storage, at least until you’re back on your feet.
Digital Clutter
Knowing where everything is on your desk is extremely important, but so is knowing where everything is on your computer. People lose so much time searching for files it’s ridiculous, while all you need to do is take care of your files once they’re finished. You don’t throw your junk on the street, right? Well, that’s exactly the reason why you shouldn’t do it on your desktop either – because once it piles up you’re going to have a hell of a time cleaning it up. Be meticulous about your work files and you’ll save enough time to take an extra vacation.
Remote work is all about balance. You want to feel like you’re at home, but you also want to work like you’re in an office. Knowing how to work, however, is imperative to success and it’s the one thing that’s going to keep you in the business. Organizing your home office to suit your needs is the best way to improve your productivity, so if you’ve read our guide – you should have no problems moving forward and becoming a successful freelancer.
About The Author
Victoria is a lifestyle writer and a true home improvement and DIY fanatic in constant pursuit of trying something new. She’s in love with life, love, and self-love. Her fields of expertise include home decor, interior and exterior design, landscaping and walking a dog for miles and miles. Psychology is also a topic she likes to explore along with some nice cup of green tea, where she’s sometimes making a difficult decisions about which tea would be perfect for her next cup. You could say she’s an avid tea-drinker.
