The coming of the Internet has changed how people work on a fundamental level. It used to be that offices were communication and productivity hubs. Offices existed to make sure that work and productivity could be overseen and managed. However, with the advent of computers and the Internet, this has been turned on its head: Even if you do work at home, it will be possible to be as productive as you are in the office. Here are some tips on how to boost productivity at home, so you can actually relax more.
Keep “Office Hours”
Even if you are working at home, there is no excuse for “waiting until the last moment” to prepare for work. You should wake up as you normally do, then, instead of allowing for time in transit, use that estimated time for exercise and freshening up before sitting down to work.
That way, you keep yourself healthy, you’re awake, and you’re ready to get some paperwork done as soon as you can.
This also applies for lunch breaks and other break times across the day – do keep a strict time-in and time-out for these activities. The regularity will help your brain get used to the fact of working hours even if you’re not in the office. It will also help if you set your official messaging app and e-mail program to have break times, so that people will know if you’re online or not, even if your online presence is registered.
Keep a Communication Lifeline Open
Now that you’re not in the office, keeping communication lines open is very important. If you need to have a separate landline just for work, then you should have one. Alternatively, you can ask your office to install a VoIP service or even a PBX and landline package on your desktop (or give you access to such a network from your home), so your little nook at home is, for all intents and purposes, a “cubicle” – albeit a comfortable, non-stressful version.
In the same way, you should be logged on to your office’s instant messaging service – you can even use this as a measure of the time you’re actually in front of your desk and ready to receive work.
Don’t Make Yourself Too Comfortable
When working at home, be honest with yourself and find a happy medium where you can get work done. For some people, that may be in front of the TV, or in the kitchen, and others may require a real space for work in the home. Whatever works is what is important to keep your productivity steady. Just remember, having a comfortable workplace does not mean it’s too much like home. If anything, your workspace should feel a little more like the office, so that your mind keys into that atmosphere.
Keep Formalities
Being at home shouldn’t spare you some of the formalities of work. On one level, that means that you should still stick by formal office communications language and styles in your e-mails and official chat messages. In fact, since you’re working from home, you should learn to be even more correct and formal for work communiqués, as you now have more time to think over what your responses will be.
The same goes for your clothing. You should wear something that reminds you’re still going to work. It doesn’t have to be as formal as a long-sleeved shirt and tie, but you should at least resist the temptation to work in the scraggliest house clothes you own. Do remember, too, that video conferencing will happen, so it pays to be dressed for such occasions.