March 14

Part 1: 16 Work from Home Tips You Can Do Right Now!

Share0
Tweet0
Share0

Planning on working from home? Congratulations! You're among an ever-increasing group of people who work from their home office.

Working remotely, whether hybrid or fully WFH, affords many benefits to both businesses and employees such as increased performance, business continuity, and better work-life balance. Although this was once considered a luxury, now it’s becoming a mainstay for large and small businesses alike.

This handy list of top tips from our partner Nextiva helps you maximize your newfound freedom (and responsibility) with helpful advice that applies to both employees and their leadership! Nextiva has had direct experience with helping thousands of companies scale their remote working staff, so they’ve seen what works and what doesn’t.

Working from home is awesome, but it can also be problematic if it's not managed effectively.

Let's dig in and learn some best practices for the WFH life:

16 WFH Life Tips:

  • Build a Permanent Workspace:
    Establish an area of your home where you’ll work and commit to working in this space every day. Be sure your workspace is quiet so you can focus on the task at hand and dedicate this space as a work-only zone.
  • Invest in Quality Technology:
    Setting up a productive home office or workspace may require a small investment. You may have to purchase technology such as a desktop, laptop, tablet, or remote phone system to do your job effectively. First, be sure to check if your work will provide these resources (hint: they should).
  • Get Comfortable Office Furniture:
    You may also need to invest in functional and ergonomic office furniture if you haven’t already. Since you’ll be working in this space every day, it’s important to make it as inviting and comfortable as possible. Consider having at the very least, a desk, bookshelves, and an ergonomic office chair.
  • Set Real Work Hours:
    If you’re going to make working from home an everyday commitment, then set specific business hours and enforce a hard limit at the beginning and end of each workday. Be sure to communicate your schedule to any clients or customers you work with directly, as well as your team and your boss.
  • Avoid Work Creep:
    Remote and hybrid work can be invasive in your personal life if you don’t set boundaries. This is because if you’re always home and near your work, then it’s just right there… waiting to be done. All. The. Time. The risk is real, but only if you let it be. At the end of the workday, shut down your laptop, set your work apps to "away," shut your office door, and don’t look back until you’re scheduled to start again.
  • Discover Your High Productivity Periods:
    Every individual is most productive at different times during the day. Whether you’re a morning person or a night owl, discover you’re optimal productivity periods and build your work around those times.
  • Update Your To-Do List Every Morning:
    It can be challenging to keep track of everything that needs doing throughout your workday. It’s easy to lose sight of priorities, tasks, and deadlines. Set goals and time limits for each task. After you complete each task, cross it off the list. This simple technique is both effective and fulfilling.
  • Use a Planner:
    In addition to making to-do lists, get into the habit of using a calendar or planner. For example, track if you work from home some days but you’re on the road others, track your deadlines, track your appointments, and your meetings.

Working Remotely with Nextiva


The remote work revolution is here. Does your business have the right tools to support your workforce?

Let's Talk!
  • Stick to One Project Management App:
    If you aren’t a “write-it-down” to-do list or planner type, don’t worry—there are plenty of project management apps that can help you manage your tasks. You can even break your meatier projects down into steps and/or assign them to your other team members.
  • Don’t Work in Your PJs:
    GET Dressed!!! Beyond psychologically getting you in the right mindset for work, you'll be ready to handle any kind of video chat or check-in with a teammate. You’ll be prepared to be productive. Even if you don’t leave the house, dress for work as if you were in the office.
  • Don’t Work in the Living Room:
    Working from home is not just about avoiding meetings and conference calls. In fact, quite the opposite. Successful remote workers know the responsibility that comes with working in their own quarters. Avoid the TV and other digital distractions so you can focus on your work and getting things done. However, if used just for background noise, having the tv on is probably okay.
  • Develop a Morning Routine:
    Working from home doesn’t mean you get to skip your morning routine altogether. Since you'll likely be cooped up indoors most of the day, take a morning walk around the block to get some fresh air. Get up early, take a shower, make your coffee and breakfast, and prepare your lunch just like you would if you had to work in the office.
  • Set Multiple Alarms:
    Alarms aren't just for waking up. Consider adding an alarm for your lunch break and wrap-up time at the end of the workday, since working from home tends to blur these lines. Follow a strict routine and set specific work hours to be more focused, more alert, and more productive.
  • Exercise & Stretch Regularly:
    Exercise naturally boosts endorphins which increases happiness, enjoyment, and interest levels, all of which are important for productivity. Regularly stretching helps you maintain great posture. At a minimum, stretch throughout the day so you don’t get sore or hinder your quality of life. If your day allows, take a lunch break and go for a walk, go to the gym, or stretch.
  • Eat Healthy Meals & Snacks:
    Research has shown that eating fruits and vegetables has a direct link on overall productivity levels. You can also avoid buying unhealthy snacks altogether. With extra planning, you can purchase more nutritional snacks rather than buying on impulse. Reward yourself with a sweet snack on Friday after a successful and productive week. If you’re an avid snacker, then make it a point to make yourself a healthy lunch, just as you would if you had to go into the office.
  • Take Short Breaks:
    Although taking breaks might seem counterproductive, research has shown that taking short breaks can actually increase productivity and creativity levels. If you don't have a work-life balance, then you won't last too long working at home. Work short, five-minute breaks into your daily schedule or even make them a part of your rewards system.

Conclusion:

There's a little truth to the natural skepticism some employers have about their teams working remotely. It takes more than a high-speed internet connection and video conferencing to work from home effectively. But in today’s world, working from home is no longer such a novel concept.

Start putting the above work from home tips into practice now to streamline your routine, increase your productivity, and succeed at remote and hybrid work. And if you need some help finding tools and technology to support your remote work team, give us a call at (781) 235-5520 or contact us here.

Source: Adapted from an article by the experts at our partner, Nextiva.

Share0
Tweet0
Share0
Previous
Next