The current pandemic has forced many businesses to allow work-from-home arrangements.
While this allows employees to work within their homes’ safety and comfort, remote working also comes with challenges. That’s because working from home means you are prone to many distractions.
That said, we have listed down the common work-from-home challenges and how you can fix them:
1. Removing Distractions
It is already a given that working from home comes with a lot of distractions. Hence, you will need to plan how you can lessen it (if not eliminate it).
One thing you should consider is where to place your workspace.
It does not matter whether you have a separate room or not. What’s important is that you have a dedicated space. And that space should be away from distractions like the TV, the kitchen, or the bedroom.
2. Managing Tasks
No matter what your role is, it is likely that you have many tasks to accomplish.
It is possible to finish everything in the office. That’s because the workspace is designed to eliminate distractions. But it can be challenging to do so in a work-from-home setup.
What you can do is set ground rules at home and with your colleagues.
It can be as simple as asking your family not to disturb you when working unless the house is on fire. As for your colleagues, you can set standard work hours.
3. Staying Organized
Being organized when working from home comes in two forms:
- Staying organized with your work
- Ensuring that you have a clean and organized space
Regardless, you must stay organized. That’s because dirt and clutter can distract you from work. And distractions can hinder you from getting things done.
According to the people at Maid Sailors Office Cleaning Service NYC, it would be best to start and end your workday with a clean slate.
What you can do is wipe your desk and prepare your things before getting to work. Once you’re done, declutter and organize them so you can start the following day afresh.
4. Maximizing Productivity
If you are new to working from home, it may take some getting used to. This includes knowing how you can be productive despite distractions that are present at home.
One of the best things that you can do to maximize productivity is to set a schedule. But just because you are working from home does not mean that you should fill your day.
That said, you should also set time for yourself. For instance, you can spend the first few hours of the day having breakfast and doing yoga before starting work. You can keep on working until noon to have your lunch.
5. Managing Your Time
Time management is the key to maximizing your productivity. However, we tend to fill our day because working from home makes us feel like we have all the time in the world.
What happens is that we become overwhelmed, to the point that we are procrastinating.
The key to managing your time is to segment your daily tasks. It can be as simple as setting all your meetings in the morning and then using the afternoon to finish your reports.
To level up your game, you can also use Trello or Asana to ensure that you are managing your time well.
6. Taking a Break
As mentioned earlier, we tend to fill our day just because we are working from home.
However, it would be ideal for adding break times to your schedule. This does not only allow you to stretch and get out of your workspace to unwind, but it also improves your well-being.
And this may sound counterproductive, but taking breaks boosts productivity.
According to a 2018 study by Desktime, the secret of 10% of most productive people is taking a break. In fact, they work for 52 minutes and then take a 17-minute break.
The explanation is simple: Working for 52 minutes allows them to be intentional and dedicate this time to getting things done.
7. Switching Off
Another challenge of working from home is that you do not know when to switch off. That’s because the line separating work time and leisure time is thin.
The key here is setting boundaries. This includes knowing when to accommodate your family’s needs and when to dedicate time to work.
Another solution is to set a timer. That way, you will know when you are supposed to “time out.”
Conclusion
There is no denying that working from home has its perks. No need to commute and you have time flexibility. Moreover, it ensures your health and safety, which is crucial nowadays due to the pandemic.
Nonetheless, working from home also has its challenges:
- Removing distractions
- Managing tasks
- Staying organized
- Maximizing productivity
- Managing your time
- Taking a break
- Switching off
But with the tips listed above, we hope that you can overcome these challenges. That way, you can stay productive and get things done while working from home.
