How to Increase Your WFH Productivity

Increasing numbers of people are working from home (WFH) for at least part of their working week. It’s also predicted that remote working opportunities will increase into 2023. With remote working set to stay, you need to get more work done and feel more motivated when working at home. Below are some tips to increase WFH productivity.

Create a schedule

One of the benefits of working from home is the flexibility to create your own schedule. However, many of us fall into the trap of arranging our working day around meeting times or other external factors.

To maximize WFH productivity, consider what tasks you need – or want – to accomplish that day. Think about what time of day you’re most productive. You could dedicate an entire day or two to a particular project or consider breaking larger projects down into smaller tasks spread out through the week. Don’t forget to schedule regular breaks and take time away from your working area. Even if it’s just to sit in another room to eat your lunch or get outside for a walk.

Think about your space

When it comes to deciding where in your home to work, it can be tempting to settle for something easy and convenient like your kitchen table or sofa. But, investing time and effort into creating a functional workspace can boost your WFH productivity. It also helps you separate work from home, which is beneficial for your mental health and wellbeing.

Having a dedicated workspace can also help you be more organized at work and in your day-to-day life. Even if space in your home is limited, a quiet corner with a desk and comfortable chair can make all the difference. Consider investing in fitted home office furniture to get the most out of your space.

Minimize distractions

Laundry that needs folding, a room that needs hoovering, a bedroom to tidy, anything and everything can become a distraction. Especially, if you don’t feel focused. Try to limit the risk of these distractions throughout your workday.

Ideally, you want to put a physical barrier between you and the things that are likely to distract you. For example, don’t sit down to work in the middle of a messy kitchen or you’ll soon find yourself doing the dishes instead of answering emails! If you don’t have a dedicated workspace where you can close the door on distractions, take some simple measures to keep your mind focused. Put your phone on do-not-disturb and leave the television off. Some people work better with background noise or music but others need silence to concentrate. Try to think of your working hours as fixed. Don’t schedule appointments or long lunches with friends in the middle of your working day.

However, it’s also important to be realistic and accept that when working from home. There will inevitably be some disruptions and distractions. Part of the appeal of working from home is being able to be flexible about how your working day is structured.

Stay in touch

If you’re not careful, there’s a risk that working from home can lead to you becoming lonely. This is especially true if your social life is integrated with your working life. Often, you’re used to going for drinks after work or catching up over lunch with colleagues. Therefore it’s important to schedule regular check-ins with your colleagues. Not only will this help you work as a team and reassure everyone that you’re all on task but it will also help combat feelings of loneliness and disconnection that can result from remote working.