How To Create A Productive Environment When Working From Home

While around 14% of the British population have already adopted working from home as a norm, that number has risen exponentially in recent weeks with the drastic measures taken in an attempt to curtail the spread of Covid-19.

Now, many of us are being forced out of our offices with no preparation for life as a home worker, it’s no surprise that the sudden change in circumstances can feel jarring.

With the correct mentality though, working from home can be a rewarding and stimulating experience, allowing you to be as productive as you would be on a normal day at work, while making the most of your new environment.

To help you actualise this, we have compiled some productivity at home tips.

Remember you are still at work

Without the obligation of having to get dressed for work, it can be very tempting not to bother making the effort, but it’s almost more important than ever that you do. Sitting around in sportswear (or worse, pyjamas) puts you in the wrong frame of mind from the get-go. Get up, get dressed and take the day seriously. You’ll feel so much better for it.

Plan your day

Without workmates or bosses to observe your movements, it’s all too easy to allow yourself to lose structure while working from home. Planning a diary of all upcoming tasks needing attention will make what can be a long day in the house feel more like a workday that starts and finishes at a certain time. Routines can be invaluable here, so don’t be afraid to set them out.

Take exercise

Being successful working from home doesn’t just mean turning your house into an office. Without the daily commute and a regular lunch break, you will quickly find the lack of exercise and fresh air a real challenge. Take time away from your desk, even if it’s only as far as the garden.

Set goals

When working from home, maintaining positive mental health is more important than ever, so setting realistic goals and then achieving them will make all the difference. A feeling of order and accomplishment will go some way to compensating for the upheaval that the lack of a normal work environment can bring.

Working from home may seem difficult to acclimatise to, but when approached correctly and with some thought, it will soon become a new norm.