4 Simple Work-From-Home Tips to Improve Your Productivity

One of the hardest things about working from home is being productive and staying focused.

 

It is so easy to get distracted by the dishes that need to be done, clothes that need to be folded, or your Facebook feed. 

 

You don’t have a boss looking over your shoulder watching what you are doing or overhearing your phone calls. 

 

There is a lot of trust that comes with working remotely, but despite all that, even the most dedicated remote worker can have a hard time being productive at times. 

 

Staying motivated and productive, though, is key to successfully working from home. And, these four work-from-home tips I’m about to share with you are so easy to implement starting today! 

 

I try to practice these simple work-from-home tips every day to ensure I am as productive as possible throughout my workday!

 

 

Simple Work-From-Home Tip #1 – Start Your Day Earlier.

 

What’s that saying…the early bird gets the worm? Well, there is some truth to that. Studies have shown that getting an early start to your day increases your productivity and accomplishments throughout the day. 

 

And, studies have also found that hitting the snooze button too many times isn’t that good for you. Your body gets disoriented because of the broken bits of sleep you are giving yourself after hitting snooze. 

 

The best thing you can do is to wake up at your first alarm. Don’t even plan on snoozing, just set your alarm for the time you need to be up. 

 

It might be hard at first if you have a love for the snooze button, but eventually, your body will get used to it. And, after a while, you might even wake naturally a few minutes before your alarm goes off.

 

I have an alarm set for 7:00 am (aside from my alarm-clock daughter, LOL). But, a lot of times I wake up before then, sometime between 6:30-7 am. 

 

Starting your day a bit earlier than usual could be just the simple fix you need to be more productive throughout your workday. So don’t hit snooze too many times!

 

 

Check out these 10 Must-Haves for Remote Work That Will Make Your Life Better!

 

A very simple work-from-home tip is to turn off your notifications.

 

This is a big one for me. Notifications on your phone can derail your day and create a lot of distractions. Turning them off is simple but effective for maximum productivity. 

 

You can also set do not disturb times on your phone so only certain notifications come through.

 

When I first started working from home, I found I had the opposite problem. Work was always at my fingertips and I had to force myself to not check my work emails or updates. 

 

One of the ways that I did that was by turning off notifications for my work emails, specifically. 

 

Now that I have a separate work cell phone, it makes the work/personal separation even easier.

 

But the only notifications I get on my personal phone throughout the day are text messages or phone calls. 

 

Everything else, even my personal emails, I have to physically go into the app on my phone and check for an update. 

 

So, I don’t have a bunch of notifications popping up on my phone throughout the day. 

It’s honestly made a huge difference in my productivity, and I think this is the single best work-from-home tip to improve productivity on this list.

 

I’ve taken it a step further now that I have a little one too, and I turn my phone to do not disturb from 9:00 pm to 7:00 am. 

 

This way I’m not distracted by things popping up and taking away from my “me time” or time with my husband. 

 

If it’s really important someone can call me twice and it will ring, and that’s good enough for me. Everything else can wait until morning 🙂

 

Simple Work-From-Home Tip # 3 – Don’t multitask!

 

I think moms wear a badge of honor when it comes to multi-tasking or something. I know I do sometimes. But, you actually get more done when you focus on one task at a time. 

 

Multitasking can reduce your efficiency and performance. 

 

One of the best ways to avoid multi-tasking is to create a to-do list and work through things one at a time.

For me, I find that creating a list at the end of my workday for what I need to get done tomorrow is a huge help. It can encompass things I didn’t get to that day or things I need to check on in the morning. 

 

I’m typically most productive in the morning between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm (see tip #1 about starting your day early, lol). 

 

If I have a to-do list written out from the day before it helps me focus and get started right away.

 

The other way I manage my time and work to-do list is with a website called ClickUp. 

 

ClickUp lets you plan, track, and manage any type of project and collaborate with others. My coworker and I use it to track our bid development as that is my job focus. 

 

It allows us to create deadlines for projects we are bidding and interact back and forth with each other on the specific task. 

 

It’s a great project management tool, and it’s free for less than five users!

 

I’ve also got a great freebie too that you can check out to help you manage schedule a work-from-home planner!

 

 

 

 

 

Take breaks. Yes, to be more productive working from home you actually need to take breaks!

 

Believe it or not, taking breaks is a huge part of productivity. After you complete a task, you should take a short break. 

 

Don’t dive right into your next big project; giving your mind a few minutes to rest is one of the simplest work-from-home tips you can implement. 

 

A break doesn’t have to be anything major, it can be as simple as going to get another cup of coffee or even just going to the bathroom.

 

Just that simple act of getting up out of your chair and moving away from your computer for a few minutes is good for you!

 

It’s also so important to break for lunch. 

 

When you work from home, it’s especially easy to work while you eat lunch. But, you should take a break from your work and eat lunch just like you would if you were at an office.

 

I find this is easier for me to do now that my office is upstairs (before it was downstairs… and in one rental I could see the kitchen from my office space…yikes! LOL). 

 

But, having my office upstairs forces me to go downstairs to the kitchen to grab some lunch. So, I have to get up and break away from my work to eat. 

 

If you have the option of moving your office upstairs, that could be a way to help you separate work/home life more too.

 

 

Staying focused and motivated during the workday is so important, especially when you are working remotely. 

 

So, if you are struggling with productivity, try one of these simple work-from-home tips and see if it helps! 

 

If you don’t work from home, still give these tips a try to mix up your routine and stay productive throughout the workday!

 

For even more work simple work-from-home tips, check out this blog post: Work From Home Tips To Help You Stay Focused and Get More Done!