The work-from-home (WFH) setup has become such a buzzword during this pandemic. The majority of companies worldwide have already adopted a mandatory remote work policy. Despite the challenges encountered, some businesses have shown an increase in productivity among their employees.
A California-based company has shown a boost in their employee productivity by up to 47 percent. This shows that business leaders, managers, and employees can maximize their outputs even while working in the comfort of their homes. However, there are some key steps they must take to achieve this much-coveted productivity.
That said, here’s how you can increase your work productivity at home:
1. Set up a workspace or home office
Some employees are struggling to find a conducive space for working from home. However, some are smart enough to set up a workspace or home office. In most cases, they turn their bedrooms into a mini-office as well. A perfect example is how they install a loft bed where under this lies a dedicated workspace. You may consider having a home office as well. While setting up your workspace, be sure to install all the devices, tools, and technology required for working. Ultimately, make sure that it is an ideal working environment.
2. Eliminate all the distractions
All sorts of distractions are present at home. They come in various forms, be it a sun glare on your computer screen, noises from the neighborhood, or the call of household chores. As such, be sure to eliminate all these forms of distractions in your workspace. First, choose a working space that has minimal to zero distractions. Second, be sure to get rid of these distractions whenever possible. By doing so, you’ll be able to enhance your productivity while working from home.
3. Employ time management
Time is crucial to how you WFH as it influences your productivity. When it comes to this, time management is the key to success. It’s best to come up with a work schedule that works for you. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the usual eight consecutive working hours. You can sort your working hours while allowing coffee breaks and lunchtime as well. But the rule of thumb here is to separate your personal and professional time. For example, you don’t work while watching TV or cooking. It’s best not to mix them, as doing so can compromise your productivity.
4. Boost your efficiency
Work productivity all boils down to how efficient employees are. There are different strategies for efficiency, but they all depend on the nature of the job and the workload itself. Some techniques you can employ to improve your efficiency include avoiding multi-tasking, starting with the most challenging tasks to the lesser ones, and delegating your tasks. Also, be sure to ask for immediate help and employ the 80/20 rule. All these will help you become more efficient, thereby boosting your work productivity.
5. Improve your comfort level
Work productivity also entails improving the comfort levels of your home. If employees are uncomfortable in their working spaces, they won’t be able to focus on the tasks at hand. There are many ways to boost your home’s comfort levels. One way to do so is to update your cooling and heating systems. Be sure to perform AC maintenance before summer and furnace tune-up before winter. Another way is to keep your house clean and tidy all the time. Lastly, you can even go as far as having indoor plants around your workspace.
6. Have healthy habits
Having a healthy lifestyle is all the more critical during the pandemic. You must not lose sight of this even if you’re working from home. As you are aware, bad health habits will affect your productivity and work in general. That said, be sure to consider the following health habits:
- Eat properly and on time.
- Hydrate yourself, especially when working.
- Have time for physical activities such as exercising or hitting the gym.
- Get enough sleep so you can focus on your work the following day.
- Separate professional and personal life.
- Have ‘me’ time as it isn’t just all about work.
The WFH policy has posed some challenges to many employees. But on the other side of the spectrum, it has presented many opportunities to employees. It’s just a matter of knowing how to adapt to the current work setup and find ways to be as effective as possible. To boost your work productivity while working from home, be sure to consider the valuable tips recommended above. All these will help increase your productivity, ultimately making you a better employee.
