Remote work is here to stay, and employees agree, that’s for the best.
Across the board, employees are consistently happier with their work when they get a work-from-home option, as hard data shows.
Still, there are plenty of concerns around how working from home affects productivity.
Although studies consistently show remote work increases how much work employees get done, it’s important to remember different people work in different ways.
For many, working from home can be difficult: on top of making people feel cut off from colleagues, the format can bring unwanted distractions and yank attention away from work.
Fortunately, it’s easy to get more work done at home (or beyond) by just adding in a handful of new tips and tools. Check them out here and learn just how much more you can get done out of the office.
1 - Set up a dedicated work space
One of the easiest ways to focus on work at home is to designate part of it as your home office.
This may sound obvious, but the fact is people are psychologically affected by spaces, especially when it comes to what we should be doing in them. If you work from bed, for example, your brain associates the bedroom with work instead of with sleeping.
To make this psychology work in your favor, just choose a room (or part of a room) to become your specific office space — that is, a space you’ll use for work, and little else.
This can mean using a current desk and chair or even investing in new decor to make the space more “office-like.”
No matter what, you’ll have an easier time focusing on work if you use a room cut out for it, not for the relaxation or housework that usually goes on in a home.
2 - Make a to-do list
In your own space, it’s very easy to lose track of work-related tasks and start thinking about household needs, from home projects to errands you still have to run.
That’s why it’s critical to keep a personal work to-do list of your ongoing work projects.
This way, getting distracted won’t keep you off track for long, as you’ll constantly have an active record to refer back to when your mind wanders elsewhere.
You’ll also get a clearer sense of what you need to accomplish each day — and of what you actually achieved when it’s time to clock out.
3 - Cut out distractions
Easily the biggest potential danger in working from home is just how many ways you can become distracted there.
That also means it’s up to you to get rid of those distractions, but fortunately, that doesn’t have to be difficult.
Turn off the TV and keep it off.
Minimize time on your smartphone — if you need an extra push, consider setting time limits on certain apps, or even leaving your personal phone in another room.
Tell friends and family the specific times you’re working and can’t be disturbed.
So long as you plan for all your potential distractions and deliberately set them aside, you’ll have that much more room to focus on getting work done.
4 - Take breaks
At the same time, never taking a break from your work will leave you very tired very quickly.
And as many remote workers can confirm, it’s very easy to forget about breaks when you don’t have officemates to enjoy lunch or coffee with.
So keep yourself safe against burnout by remembering to step away from the laptop every now and again, especially for meals.
This can be as simple as noting breaks as tasks on your daily checklist, or as intricate as creating a schedule for when and how long you’ll kick back.
Either way, remember that a bit of time to relax isn’t being unproductive — it just means you’re resting up to return to your projects refreshed.
5 - Use a cloud-based PBX
To collaborate with colleagues from anywhere, and as easily as if you were in the office, there’s simply no alternative to a cloud-based phone system.
Unlike a traditional phone system, a cloud-based PBX lets workers use their current office number from anywhere, right from their laptop or smartphone.
And since a cloud system will usually also feature instant messaging and video calls, remote workers will always have an easy way to keep in touch with their colleagues, even when physically apart.
Voxloud Cloud-Based Phone System: what are the advantages for you?
Just to give an idea, here is a preview of the advantages of Voxloud phone system:
- You can work anywhere without geographical restrictions
- Activation in 59 seconds, without technicians or installers
- Organize team video conferences
- No hidden costs
Do you want to find out more and see what Voxloud can do for you?
Click here and talk to one of our Specialists 👇
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