Tips for When You Work From Home

When we all got the orders to work from home, it felt very temporary. It probably also felt like a very welcome break from the rat race. But now that we’ve been remote working for months, many of us are dreaming of the day we get to rub elbows with our coworkers again.

Working from home definitely has its perks, but it doesn’t take long for reality to sink in, and then we’re more susceptible to the distractions of home life.

If you’re growing tired of working from home and are struggling with motivation, here are some tips along with some cheap internet options that may help too. In the end, let’s do our best to keep that procrastination monster at bay!

Create a real workspace

Working at your kitchen table may have been okay to start, but it’s not a good long-term solution. If you want to stay motivated while you work from home, there must be some separation between home life and work life. 

If possible, use a dedicated room as an office where you do nothing but work. This will send the message to your subconscious that it’s time to work when you enter that room. 

Even if you don’t have the luxury of an extra room (as many people don’t), you can still create a space for yourself. Consider setting up a small desk in a corner and using a room divider to separate the space. 

Use productivity apps

We’re in luck because we’re living in an age with tons of free resources to help deal with productivity issues. The Pomodoro app based on the Pomodoro technique is probably the most popular among them. This is a great app if you work from home. It’s based on the principle that we’re more productive when we’re allowed to take breaks. 

In order to qualify for a break, you have to work for an uninterrupted stretch of time. Then you can enjoy your breaks and get back to being productive. The Pomodoro technique isn’t the only productivity app around, though. There are plenty of similar apps with their own quirks that can help you stay on task – all you need to do is search. 

And this may go without saying, but don’t take advantage of working from home to give into bad habits. Day drinking may be fun at a festival, but it doesn’t belong in a work-from-home environment. If you’re struggling with quitting alcohol by yourself, ask for help. It’s important.

Stay connected

Staying connected with colleagues can help you remain productive and accountable. You may want to participate in a group chat on Slack or a daily check-in on Zoom to talk about work-related issues and keep your focus targeted. 

When you stay in touch with colleagues, it can feel more like you’re part of something and remind you that your work is important for everyone else to be able to do their jobs. 

Set firm work hours

These days, it’s very common and almost unavoidable to get burnt out, even if you love your job. And this is a trap so many people fall into when they work from home. You might procrastinate during the day because you don’t have to punch a clock. But then you end up working into the wee hours of the night and unintentionally filling family time with work time. 

This is where productivity apps really help because you’ll recover more of your personal time when you get your work done during the day. 

Working from home sounds like the dream… until you’re in it and struggling. But if you’re working from home, follow these tips to increase your motivation and thrive in your new work environment.