Four tips for working from home
I love days where I can work from home. My preferred routine is to wake up very early in the morning, make coffee, light a candle, and put in a few uninterrupted hours before the normal work day begins for everyone else (and my phone starts ringing and my e-mail starts chiming).
For those working from home by choice or necessity, here are four tips to maximize your productivity:
Have a dedicated work space
Some people have the luxury of an entire room in their house that serves as a home office. Others do not. It’s invaluable, however, to have a dedicated space in your home where you work. This can be a dining room table, a breakfast nook, or even a living room couch. A consistent work space makes it easier to get into “work mode” at home.
Get organized
This is the key to successfully working from home. You want to avoid spending the first hour of each day looking for a document or trying to find a pen. Target and the Container Store have some wonderful home office supplies to help you organize your workspace (filing cabinets/folders/shelving, etc.). Amazon has some great, affordable options, too. At a minimum, you may consider these items:
a computer and printer (and internet)
shelving
storage baskets or bins
files/ file holders/ a filing cabinet
a place for pens/highlighters/post-it notes/paperclips/electronics chargers (sometimes called “desktop organizers”)
At the end of the day, I clean and re-organize my workspace so I’m prepared to begin work immediately the next morning.
Keep normal hours and eliminate distractions
If you can, keep normal work hours and eliminate distractions. I try to wake up at the same time every morning and get ready just like I would if I was heading to the office for the day. I don’t wear a suit, but I don’t wear pajamas either. Make sure your dedicated work space is clean and you have everything you need to put in a few, uninterrupted work hours (coffee, water, something to eat, electronics, chargers, etc.) If you have very young children, see if you can find a babysitter for a few hours (I know that’s often easier said than done), or plan to put in a few hours before they wake up in the morning or after they go to bed at night.
Schedule regular breaks
Studies show that planned, regular work breaks actually increase creativity and productivity. For an interesting read, check out this article on how work breaks help your brain: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/changepower/201704/how-do-work-breaks-help-your-brain-5-surprising-answers. Set an alarm every three hours and take a break to have some tea, walk your dog, go for a run, etc. You’ll find a mental break leaves you more relaxed and more productive- which is the goal.
Samantha Huettner, attorney with Huettner Law, can be contacted at (317) 296-3801. You can also reach Huettner Law by reaching out to us online.
