Working from Home Quick-Tips

5 Ways to Be More Productive...Even in Your Underwear

So you’ve started working from home? Let me let you in on a little secret: It’s not as easy as you think.

At first, it’s AMAZING. You can work in pajamas, take a break for a quick workout and a long lunch, make it to your kids’ Spring Sing, and plan vacations whenever you feel like it. What’s not to love?

Once the initial thrill of taking a conference call sans-pants wears off, reality will soak in. At home, there are distractions. In an office, you’re never tempted to throw in a quick load of laundry or take an extra power nap. Everyone at the office expects you to work. But at home? At home, everyone assumes work can wait.

Working from home adds an incredible amount of flexibility and freedom to your schedule, but it doesn’t mean you should ditch structure. Instead, you just need to define a structure that works best for you.

1. Define your work schedule

When you get up in the morning, you probably have a go-to routine. Maybe a shower followed by a light breakfast and a cup of coffee. Then, you’ll probably head to the bathroom and brush your teeth without a second thought. It’s automatic. It’s just what you do, and it doesn’t take much energy to remember it.

If you didn’t have a routine, it would be much harder. You might get distracted by chores, or grab a bite on the road and forget to brush your teeth entirely. And it wouldn’t really be your fault. When we form habits, the major items on our to-do list become automatic. Without those habits, we have to make decisions about what to do next all day long.

When you first start working from home, this feels fantastic. After a few weeks, it just gets tiring. Working at any (and sometimes all) hours of the day makes it difficult to build momentum. You get started at 11 am, have lunch by 1, walk the dog, and then somehow it’s 8 pm and you’re far from finished.

A simple table, like this free one from Smartsheet, is a great way to outline your schedule.

Instead, pick a schedule and stick with it. Like to sleep in? That’s fine! As long as you know that at 10 am, it’s time to get serious.

You can factor in short breaks, time for a jog, or plan to work in the evenings if you’re the most productive after dark. You can choose any schedule you like, as long as it’s one you can stick with and includes enough hours.

2. Set rules for yourself

Wait, rules? Isn’t getting rid of those the entire reason you left the office? That may be true, but having some rules is required to stay productive. Decide how frequently you’ll take breaks and for how long. Some studies suggest that limiting your work sessions to about an hour at a time, followed by a 10-15 minute break, and a longer, half-hour break every few hours, leads to faster progress than trying to power through for hours on end. Since you’ll be working slightly less, keep distractions to a minimum. Stay off social media, limit how frequently you check (and respond to) your emails, and stick with one task at a time. This way, you’ll avoid the feeling of working for hours but never finishing anything. Love working in pajamas? Go for it, but limit it to one day a week so that you still feel like the serious, hard-hitting professional you are.

3. Define boundaries and stick to them

If you need to take the dog out, do it on your break! No matter how much you love them, kids, pets, and spouses walking in and out of your workspace is not going to help you meet that deadline. Set office hours, and let everyone in the house know that you are not to be disturbed during those hours unless it’s an emergency.

Since you’re sitting at home on a computer, it’s easy for families to take your job less seriously than they would an office job. It actually takes MORE discipline to stay on task at home, so set those rules and don’t back down...even if it means stepping on a few toes. See the sign to the left for inspiration.

4. Create a space conducive to work

Is this lady overdressed AF? Yes. But should you keep your desk this neat? Also yes.

A messy desk is demotivating to the best of us. If the mess grows to take over your entire office, the effect is even more overwhelming. It’s stressful to sit in a pile of your own clutter, so clean that sh*t up!

This is especially important for those of us without enough space for a dedicated office. Having to put your desk in your bedroom isn’t ideal, but if that’s what you’re working with, do it right. Keep the entire space clean and tidy, and don’t take your laptop back to the warmth of your unmade bed.

5. Get out of the house

From one introvert to another, the peace and quiet of your empty house can be utter bliss, but it can also get old. Working from home allows you the flexibility to listen to your own inner voice, so if you want to get out, go for it! Scope out the coziest coffee shops in your area, pack up your laptop and planner, and enjoy a hot latte while you work. Just make sure you bring some noise-canceling headphones along for the ride.