Tips to enhance your Productivity while working from Home(WFH) The Panagora Blog

 

Working from home can be challenging if you don’t know how to keep yourself organized and on track and on task… Read on!

More Americans are working from home than ever before. According to a research by Global Workplace Analytics, 50 percent of the American workforce has a job that allows at least occasional remote work.

This fact has been made even more glaring by the Covid-19 pandemic which has “forced” more people to work remotely. 

Nicholas Bloom, a Professor of Economics at Stanford University, has written extensively about working from home throughout his career. Bloom has even conducted a two-year study of a major Chinese travel company that found working from home made employees more productive and less likely to quit.

In light of the above, we have decided to share some hacks to enhance your productivity while you work from home.

1. Get equipped: No work can be done properly without the right tools and equipment. Depending on your industry or job, to function optimally from home, you will need the right equipment. Generally, you’ll need the basics; a computer, stable internet connectivity, a printer/scanner, a backup battery or UPS, stationery and a phone.

2. Get dressed: Though you’re at home, you should endeavor to dress up like you would to your regular workplace. Dressing should be formal or business casual. This puts you in work mode as opposed to when you’re getting to work in your pajamas. 

3. Set up your work area: In the words of Cris Grottoes-Wheedleton, a Virginia-based productivity consultant, “You need to create an environment for yourself that creates the sense that you’re leaving personal time and entering work time.”

When it comes to setting up your home office, you should consider that a workspace that is organized and devoid of distractions will no doubt set the pace for a productive day. In 2011, researchers at Princeton found that clutter made it difficult for the brain’s visual cortex to fully focus on tasks.

4. Take breaks: “Employees who take a break every 90 minutes report a 30 percent higher level of focus than those who take no breaks or just one during the day. They also report a nearly 50 percent greater capacity to think creatively and a 46 percent higher level of health and well-being.” – Tony Schwartz, CEO of The Energy Project.

You need to take breaks like you would at work. This will allow you take your mind off work for a few minutes while you refresh and recharge by probably stretching or grabbing a healthy snack and a drink. At lunch time, take a lunch break as you would at the office.

5. Set boundaries: When working from home, it’s easy to get distracted especially when living with kids, family, housemates or other persons. For this reason, it helps to set boundaries and make sure others respect them.

If your workspace has a door, hanging a “do not disturb” sign is an easy and effective way to communicate to others that you do not wish to be distracted. 

In conclusion, remote working has changed the nature of the work environment. If you happen to be working from home, these tips will ensure your health and productivity remain in top shape.