Staying Productive While Working from Home

Date Posted: March 26, 2020

Posted In: COVID-19 Updates, Ideas, Workforce,

by Stacy Chaney,
Senior Marketing Specialist at Farnsworth Group, Inc.

I know many people are navigating a new life working from home. Many people previously had only worked from home for a day or two with sick kids or waiting for repairmen to show up, but now are faced with a permanent situation for the foreseeable future. About a year and a half ago I started working from home full time and have learned a lot along the way. I thought I would share some things that have helped me stay productive.

1. Find a dedicated “workspace” that is just for work. I do not find myself overly productive working from the couch or my kitchen table with the tv on. While I am lucky enough to have an actual room for a home office, I know not everyone has that option. Try to find a space in your home you can call your office, where you go during work hours and is free from distractions. This should be space reserved for work hours only. If that’s not an option, set up a desk or even a card table to make a temporary workspace.
2. Have the right equipment. It’s hard for me to work permanently from just my laptop. Once you’ve worked with multiple monitors, it’s hard to go back! I have a docking station and monitors in my home office. You might check with your employer to see if you can take a desktop monitor home during this time to help you work. If that’s not possible, another option is purchasing a small portable monitor for your laptop. I recently got one to travel with on Amazon for less than $200 and it might be a better option especially if you’re working with limited space. Also, make sure you have a good work chair that helps you sit ergonomically correct. You can find something that is an upgrade from your kitchen table chair for under $100 at most office supply stores or Amazon.
3. Get in a morning routine. I am an early bird, usually up around 5AM walking the dogs and getting ready for my 6AM workout class. When I get home, I get my coffee and breakfast going and begin my workday around 7AM. Not an early bird? It’s okay. Just make sure you have a set “work start” time and get in the habit of always starting work at the same time. Just like if you were still an office setting.
4. Get Dressed. Seriously. Get. Dressed. Even if your new “work attire” is yoga pants or gym shorts and a t-shirt, make yourself get up and put something on other than your pajamas. I feel like it clues my brain into the fact that it’s time to work. Sometimes even putting on a pair of shoes helps remind me this is a workday and not the weekend.
5. Take breaks. I cannot stress enough how important it is to take breaks working from home. It gives your brain a little refresh and it’s some time away from your desk. When you work in an office, you go home at the end of the day and get a change of scenery. Sitting in the same room day after day in the home you live in gets old fast. I take short breaks every 2-3 hours to walk my dogs, refill my coffee, get the mail, etc. for about 10-15 minutes. This serves as my “coffee/water cooler” breaks I would normally take in the office. Also, take a lunch hour! It may be an hour to cook lunch, run an errand, or just relax, all of which distracts your brain and acts as a reset. Anything to get away from my computer helps me be refreshed and more productive in the afternoon. Also, take some time during the day to virtually say hello to a few of your coworkers and talk about “non-work” just like you would in the break room in your office. This will keep you sane since you aren’t interacting face to face right now!
6. Over-communicate. Make sure you’re in contact with people you are working with. Just a quick email or an instant message to say, “I got your email and I’m working on that,” is a nice way to let people know you’re on it. Especially when you first start working from home. It takes time to build up trust with others in your new working from home situation. Do what you can to ease their minds by letting them know your still getting the same work done as you were in an office. Also communicate your schedule. If you’re going to take a long lunch, or be gone for a doctor’s appointment, let the people you work with know you’ll be away and when you’ll be back.
7. Set a time to stop working. I know this seems like an odd thing. Who isn’t racing for the door at quitting time? But sometimes working from home you get in the “I can knock this out before I logoff” habit. We don’t have to drive anywhere and fight traffic. We can start dinner one minute after logging off our computer for the day. So, it’s important to set a hard stop time for yourself to keep a good work/life balance. Now obviously there are days when this isn’t possible due to deadlines, but on days when you can… shut it off. Then, just like you have a morning routing, get in an evening routine as well. Take quick minute to clean up your desk, take your coffee cup and water glass into the kitchen, and throw away any trash to help you come in and start fresh tomorrow morning.

I understand not all these tips are going to work for everyone. However, it’s a starting point in figuring out what works for you. These are strange times and there are lot of parents trying to navigate being productive at work while helping kids with schoolwork (or just keep them from destroying the house!). My hope is that these tips will at least spark an idea for something that might help you be more successful working from home.