Top 5 Working from Home Tips for Success
If you're reading this article, there's a good chance your employer has recently instituted a work from home policy.
As you trade a cubicle and coworkers for your spare bedroom and a cat, we wanted to share some tips for working from home effectively. As you can imagine, a home workspace will insulate you from distractions like noise, gossip, and office politics. But you will have to contend with a whole new set of productivity killers. If you don’t have a well-developed strategy in place to avoid these common pitfalls, you might find yourself struggling to get things done.
In an effort to help keep you on track during this exciting (and potentially challenging) transition, we invite you to:
- Visit our home office outfitter guide, which you can view here.
- Check out our top working from home advice, below.
5 Tips for Working Remotely
1. Take Full Advantage of Digital Communication and Productivity Tools
One obvious drawback of working from home is the inability to walk over to a coworker’s desk to discuss a shared task, or to hold an in-person team meeting to kick off a new project. Fortunately, there is a wealth of easy-to-use platforms that allow you to hold virtual meetings, track projects, and communicate with fellow team members in real time. Mastering these tools will help remove any barriers created by a lack of proximity to your coworkers.
2. Create Separation Between “Work” and “Home”
Since telecommuting eliminates the daily ritual of leaving your home and traveling to a dedicated place of business, the line can be blurred between the time you spend working and the time you’re off. Psychologically speaking, it may be helpful to replicate the ritual of “going to work” so this line can be reestablished. To many, this might mean:
- Setting (and sticking to) very specific work hours
- Avoiding the temptation to work in your “jammies” and getting dressed every morning
- Closing the home office door before you power up your computer
- Bookending each day with 10-minute “commutes” in the form of a 7:50 am and 5:00 pm walks around the block
In other words, try to find things that help put you in the work mindset before you start…and to help you shut things down when you stop.
3. Take Cybersecurity Seriously
Whether or not you’re an expert in all things digital, it’s important to respect the potential cybersecurity risks posed by working remotely. In other words, make sure you follow all instructions provided by your employer’s IT team with regard to using public WIFI, logging into company networks, sending sensitive information over email, and so forth. If you’re not sure about something, always ask.
4. Set Boundaries with Your New “Coworkers”
You might share your living space with a variety of two-and-four-legged creatures. Whoever (and whatever) they are, take steps to make sure they aren’t a distraction. A sleepy retriever who curls up in a sunbeam is probably an OK work buddy, but a kitten with a penchant for walking on your keyboard should probably be kept out of your home office. Regarding your humans, make sure they understand the distinction between when you’re “at work” and “at home” so they know when you are and aren’t free to talk.
5. Outfit Your Workspace for Productivity
If you can stay focused while curled up on a couch with stacks of paperwork strewn all over the coffee table, more power to you. But for most people to perform at their best, they need a tidy, organized workspace that’s optimized for success. Here are some suggested upgrades:
- Dual monitors enhance efficiency by enabling you to view multiple windows simultaneously. If you use a laptop, a USB monitor is a great addition.
- Office storage and organization solutions (like file cabinets, pencil drawers, bag hooks, etc.) tame distraction-causing clutter.
- Acoustic desk dividers and room dividers can help create privacy and boundaries when a home office is located in a multipurpose room.
- Ergonomic accessories like monitor arms, standing desk mats, adjustable keyboard trays, and active motion chairs help reduce pain and fatigue
- Adjustable height standing desks and standing desk converters foster healthy movement to keep you active, focused, and engaged.
We hope you found our best tips to work from home helpful!
