Working from home is not a new trend. It is, in fact, becoming common practice for any new employee these days. Mainly in the tech industry – but others are catching up f̶a̶s̶t̶ at snail’s speed.
Remote work is popular because it gives your more flexibility than a traditional office job. Naturally, there is also (almost) no commute.
This benefits everyone, especially working parents who want to keep pursuing their careers while staying close to their families.
It’s not, however, all unicorns and rainbows. Working from home comes with its own set of challenges. In this article, we will uncover a few tips on how to eliminate distractions while working from home.
Have a special working room/corner
Just because the work is remote, doesn’t mean you can do it literally from anywhere. Your bedroom, living room, or kitchen table – all bad choices.
Having a dedicated place at home will help you to stay focused. Not only that, but will also signal to your family or roommates that you are not home, but at work.
Many people (especially those without work-from-home experience) have issues recognizing that a person working remotely is unavailable and should not be disturbed.
Having a quiet working corner just for yourself will help with that.
Have a fixed schedule
Fixed schedule that you consistently follow, one may add.
Similar to having a dedicated working place at home, creating a specific schedule will help you to be more disciplined and to accommodate a healthier lifestyle.
It may sound counter-intuitive – but it’s surprisingly easy to get caught in a never-ending work-from-home state where no one really knows when you start or finish. Not even you.
Following your plan will ensure a healthier balance between work, family, friends, or hobbies.
Keep your workspace clean and tidy
Believe it or not, a clean and tidy place will help you eliminate distractions. For the extra mile, make it feel more personal with a couple of personal items or photos that will motivate you. The goal is to make you comfortable, focused, and motivated.
Keep an open channel with your coworkers
It’s difficult to replace the water cooler chit-chat. You solve many tasks simply by talking to your coworkers during coffee breaks. Tasks that would otherwise require a separate meeting.
When you work from home, you find that the intensity of communication drops significantly. And while this is generally good for productivity (fewer distractions), it’s not recommended to go full radio silence.
Is the next standup call optional? Join anyways – so you know what’s going on with your team. You will get paid either way.
Maintaining communication is a good way to keep your work on track and stay committed to the project.
Make time to socialize
Working from home sometimes doesn’t give us a chance to stay connected with people outside of the “office”.
People often make plans around their daily commute. After work beers, lunch break coffee, evening gym.
It’s easy to get disconnected if you don’t have a reason to commute daily. When everyone commutes to the same area, making plans is effortless. When everyone stays home in the suburbs, it requires more dedication.
That’s why it is important to clear your schedule for socializing. It will help you to ease the feeling of loneliness which is common amongst remote workers.
Use a time tracker
Do you know, right now, day by day, what hours you’ve clocked in the past two weeks? How long are your breaks? Do you always start your work on time? Could procrastination be an issue?
These and other questions are easy to answer if you log all of your time using time tracking software.
It will allow you to review which task requires a lot of time. It will reveal your strengths and weaknesses.
And more importantly, it will keep you slightly more organized and ensure your remote career stays on the right track.
Maintaining a positive routine will help you with a balanced lifestyle. Stay productive, disciplined, and good luck to everyone who just started working from home! ☺
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