Home Office Productivity
s during the first few years, not to mention completely skipping rush hour! However, with your home comes all your favorite distractions… TV… clutter… a full kitchen… etc. Here are a few ways to help separate your mind from your home and stay focused on a regular workday.
Put your desk by a window
The amount of natural daylight you’re surrounded by has been reported by various sources to affect productivity (by 3-40%), not to mention it also increases creativity, increases the amount of sleep a worker gets each night, and because of the increase in vitamin D, puts people in a better mood and positively affects health.
They even say if you have a nice view of nature out your window, a nice green garden, trees, etc. this can affect productivity as well!
Have your desk and window in your own space
The main rooms of a house, especially when shared with others, can be chaotic. Ideally, you’d be able to have a room to yourself for your home office, but if this isn’t possible, make some boundaries with a bookshelf or tall filing cabinet. Heck, even refurbishing a shed or utilizing a big walk-in closet with a window could do the job.
Clutter is a recipe for disaster
Our brains are constantly moving in the background, always looking for something to destroy all of our focus. Make it a priority to leave anything non-business related out of your area, and if needed, do a whole-house de-clutter on a regular basis to keep that extra stuff at bay.
What about break time?
There are actual studies that show that workers who take little breaks every hour focus better than those who just keep at it for hours on end. So, if you have a little extra space in your house, make it your break place when you’re feeling drained or can’t solve a problem. Put some distractions there like puzzles, books, exercise machine (or go for a walk outside), or another activity that will take your focus away from the problem at hand for a couple minutes. Make sure this area is separate from your work area though, your brain needs that division.
Try out the Pomodoro Technique, a time management method that consists of 25 minute work intervals, with 5 minute breaks in between each.
- Decide on one task to be worked on.
- Set an actual timer for a 25-minute interval.
- When the timer rings after 25 minutes, write a check mark on a piece of paper.
- Take a 3-5 minute break
- Repeat
- Once you have 4 check marks, take a longer 15-30 minute break
Working from home is the new trend and enjoyed by many, but as anything else, it has its pros and cons. Make a pro/con list for your particular situation and see which work environment will work best for you.
