Are you adjusting to working from home for the first time? Here are five tips to help you drown out the diversions and stay focused when working from home.
Whether your business has always made working from home a priority or is just now encouraging employees to work at home due to social distancing, you may find staying focused as a remote worker is a challenge. Especially now that nearly all schools throughout the U.S. have closed their doors, work-at-home employees must figure out how to be productive with activity going on around them and many possible distractions lurking.
How can you be successful as a remote employee and stay focused on business tasks? The team at Digital Market Media has some expert, real-life tips to guide you. We’ve found with the right support, technology, and a commitment to excellence, our remote employees are highly productive and play integral roles in meeting the marketing needs of our valued clients.
Consider these tips to become a master of focus and productivity while working from home:
Tip #1: Get Dressed for Work
While it is tempting to sit around in pajamas when working from home, you may find it’s far easier to keep your mind on business when you are dressed more professionally. That doesn’t mean you need to put on a power suit, but spending a little time on your hair and changing into daytime clothes instead of pajamas will help you to mentally transition from a state of relaxation to focus.
Tip #2: Block Out the Distractions
Are your eyes continually wandering to the television as a family member binge-watches her favorite Netflix show? Or do you find yourself coming unglued as you see your 11-year-old dropping crumbs of their PBJ across your living room floor? Investing in a few items like a room divider and sound-blocking headphones can make all the difference.
Being able to stay on-task at home isn’t so difficult when you are alone, but figuring it all out while people are in the house often requires some special tools. Using a room divider or finding a quiet room away from everyone else will help you to minimize distractions. The right headphones will allow you to concentrate on your meeting, call, or spreadsheet so you can get more done in less time.
Tip #3: Create Structure in Your Day
By creating a structured plan for how both you and others in your house will spend time, you can allow for periods of noise and activity when it’s most convenient for you. For example, if you need to put in an 8-hour workday, schedule in lunchtime and other break-times as your employer allows and let others in the house know this is when they can cut loose or come to you for help with something.
Structure can also help you to minimize distractions like social media, Internet searches, or unnecessary emails. Set aside time each day to conduct these tasks, so you aren't turning to them off and on all day. For example, schedule 30 minutes in the morning for non-work-related email or social media and then don't revisit them until your break later in the day.
Tip #4: Make the Most of Technology
Video conferencing services like Zoom or RingCentral can help you to replicate an in-person meeting. There’s no need to feel isolated or avoid collaboration when working from home. Use your Google calendar or other online calendar tools to organize your meetings.
Other tools like chat apps and screen-sharing will help you to connect with your co-workers and stay focused on the right business tasks throughout the day. Knowing you aren’t alone and that you have others counting on you will encourage you to stay on-task.
Tip #5: Maintain Work/Life Balance
Ultimately, striving to achieve and maintain a healthy work-life balance makes you a better employee and enhances your overall quality of life. When you work from home, it can be tempting to be available at all times, continually thinking of work you could be doing—even during non-business hours. Make sure you have a strict schedule to protect your time with loved ones…and your sanity.
Avoid checking business email or working in the evening and on weekends. When you have plenty of downtime and the necessary time-off to rejuvenate yourself, you will likely find it is easier to stay focused during working hours.
Wish You Could Work from Home? Reach out to Digital Market Media
If you are seeking a lucrative work at home opportunity, it's time to discover the open positions available at Digital Market Media. Our work is exciting, and we provide you with the tools and support to help you stay focused, so you can achieve success as part of our team.
Learn more about our available work at home positions now, or submit your resume to careers@digitalmarketmedia.com.