Keeping up productivity while working at home
Surreal and even more surreal. I'm guessing that's how the COVID-19 situation is making most people feel.
You've stepped into Alice's Looking Glass and emerged on the other side into Wonderland: out-of-the-loop, you feel like one day blurs into the next.
Many people have shifted toward telework, remote work, or otherwise working from home, making this feeling of timelessness even more pronounced.
Though not everyone has worked remotely before, remote work or working at home doesn't have to mean less productivity.
Getting out of a stay-at-home slump ultimately may be difficult, but you can manage this feeling better with some planning.
Here are five strategies to help to improve your productivity working at home or as a remote worker.
Strategy #1: Good time management
I've written more on how to improve your time management, but here are a few simplified tips for time management while working from home.
First, get all your tasks out of your mind and onto a list. This exercise may take ten minutes, thirty minutes, or even an hour. However long it is for you, make sure that you go through your list once a day, whether morning, afternoon or evening.
Next, make your to-do list actionable. That is, break down each task into actionable steps that you can quickly schedule on your calendar.
You will have to experiment with how long each task will take you. You'll get a better idea of how long you'll work on each part the more you practice with an actionable to-do list and a calendar with notifications, such a Google Calendar.
Finally, once you finish your task, put all relevant materials (like documents, spreadsheets, etc.) into well-organized file folders, such as a physical file or on your computer or a cloud system.
Don't wait to do this last step. Place your items into the right file folders right when you're finished with them so that they don't get lost. Scrounging around for files will cost you productivity.
Improve your time management system more fully with these strategies.
Strategy #2: Have a home base for work
Just like your sense of time, your brain can feel scrambled when you're working at home, whatever else might be happening outside. Work and play can merge, which will defeat productivity.
In other words, "working" while also watching Netflix is a dead-end for getting things done, despite what your scrambled brain might be telling you.
If you more cleanly divide your home into a workspace and home or non-work space, your brain will better recognize when work time is and when personal time is depending on where you're standing.
Consider a room in your home or apartment (you likely have designated one already). That will be your office or workspace. If you're short on space, choose a spot in your living room or kitchen as your workspace, though I recommend a separate room with a closable door.
Strategy #3: Find accountability partners
Accountability improves productivity.
Most people who have supervisors or mentors, or even just deadlines and calendars, know that being accountable to someone or something increases the likelihood of better results.
Working from home, you might find that establishing productivity is tricky. You might still have a supervisor or employer to answer to, but you might be working alone for more extended periods.
What if you need additional accountability because you're working on longer-term projects or deadlines, or your meetings with your higher-ups are less frequent?
As long as you respect their time, accountability partners in the form of your family or friends can be significant assets in keeping up productivity at home.
These partners can be in your home, or you can communicate with them remotely through email, phone, Skype, Slack, Zoom, or another communication app.
Ensure that your accountability partner knows what you need to get done and by what time. If possible, establish a meeting time once a week or biweekly, so that your partner can keep you accountable by asking questions or delivering feedback to you directly.
Strategy #4: Eliminate distractions (yes, that might mean hiding your phone)
"Huh? Did you say something?" you ask while scrolling Instagram on your phone and also "working" on that memo or technical report.
Our digital world entices us with many distractions, so eliminating as unnecessary ones as possible will help you get things done.
Eliminating distractions can include hiding your phone in the next room, blocking websites using tools like StayFocusd, checking your email only at select times during the day, or telling your kids about when work time (while being open to impromptu playtimes, of course).
Additionally, notifications on your phone or computer can prove doubly distracting. They act like small treats that ensnare you away from your work. Figure out which notifications you need to check and turn off those that you don't need, either on your phone or computer, such as Facebook.
Relevant notifications are an exception to this strategy. You'll want to limit your notifications to the most important ones: email, phone calls, texts, and calendar. Whatever apps you use to communicate VIPs, you should set select times to check them unless these notifications are urgent.
Strategy #5: Keep everything balanced
What matters most in working from home is to keep things balanced.
Remote work can be challenging, but easing that challenge includes making time for what's important, and what's more, that vital stuff will help you keep things in perspective: family time, enjoying time with friends, helping in your community, and more.
By now, I hope you have a few more arrows in your quiver to tacking how to be productive working at home, and please share this post if you've benefited from any of these strategies!
What are your tips and strategies for being more productive during this hectic time? Add a comment below, email me, or comment on this post on my Facebook or Twitter.