Enhancing Your Work from Home Workflow

Working from home is a blessing and a curse. Having the freedom to move about your space and think without any fluorescent office lights to cramp your style has an infinite number of productivity perks. However within the comfort of your home, distractions are always within reach. Between getting too comfortable and becoming too distracted, you struggle to find that even, centered balance where you’re able to be both comfortable and productive. Improving your remote workflow is as easy as turning off the television or taking periodic brain breaks. These 13 tips will help you zone into your workload, and zone out all of the excess.

1. Turn on Do Not Disturb

One of the biggest productivity distractions disturbing our workflow is living in our pockets. Anytime your phone buzzes or dings, your mind races—wondering who is contacting you, what’s new in your immediate world, and what you've missed in the 20 minutes since you last checked it. With such exciting features and lightning speed performance, putting on Do Not Disturb can be the trick that removes the buzzing and keeps you focused on the right screen.

2. De-clutter your PC

Is your desktop filled with random documents and downloaded applications? Is searching for a specific PDF file an absolute nightmare for you? Instead of scrounging the depths of your PC to find the files you need, take the time to de-clutter your folders and desktop—you’ll be thankful for it later.

3. Set goals

Whatever it is you intend to accomplish on any given day, write your daily goals down and cross them off as you achieve them. You’ll feel victorious knowing you accomplished what you wrote down, and you’ll have a visual reminder of the tasks at hand.

4. Organize your desk

Instead of cluttering your desk with paperwork, folders, and photos, get into the habit of clearing your desk space so you can think with a fresher, more focused mind. A messy desk is an indicator of a messy brain—nip that in the bud by doing some weekly spring cleaning.

5. Upgrade your tech

The new age of technology has blessed computer-dependent workers with everything from all-in-one desktops to small form factor PCs. If you’re stuck in the past with a clunker laptop that takes ages to open your web browser, do yourself a favor and upgrade your tech to faster, higher performance devices.

6. Write a to-do list

Why be aimless with your workday when you can attack it with intention and purpose. Having a solidified sense of what you want to accomplish will make planning your day and maintaining focus so much easier. This includes your daily chores, too!

7. Plan your meals ahead of time

When lunch time rolls around, you may spend up to 25 minutes trying to figure out exactly what you’re in the mood for. Get rid of that wasted time by planning your meals ahead of time. Set a day aside to make a few bulk meals so that you can optimize your lunchtime rather than spend it wondering what you should eat.

8. Do the hard stuff first

Face facts: it’s harder to accomplish the more difficult work when it’s getting closer to the end of your day. Start your day with the harder tasks and you’ll have more motivation to get it done rather than put it off.

9. Time your tasks

Say you’re taking on a giant spreadsheet that needs some serious organizing and updating. If you know that it should only take you about two hours to complete, time yourself. It’ll keep you on track and driven to finish in a timely manner.

10. Take a break

Believe it or not, stepping away from your heavy workload may be the answer to boosting your work from home productivity. You’ve had those hours where your eyes glaze over and you find yourself staring off. When that feeling arises, step away from your computer and step outside. You need that breath of fresh air to feel rejuvenated.

11. Find your peak hours

Everyone’s workflow is different. Figuring out your own is an essential piece for remote workers. Find your peak hours—be it day or night—and do all of your heavy lifting duties during those times.

12. De-clutter your office

Whether you’ve got a big office space or a tiny one, de-cluttering and employing a minimalist style can help to free your mind and give more space to creative flow. Cleaning up can do your mind, body, and soul a lot of good. Add some color by decorating with flowers or a couple of succulents.

13. Get more sleep

It shouldn’t be a surprise at all that getting more sleep leads to a better workday. Be sure to get 8 hours in every night so you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to get cracking on your workload

Armed with these 13 tips, there’ll be no stopping your powerful workhorse!