More and more people are choosing to work remotely, which allows them to organize their work process and eliminates the need to stand in traffic, to get to the office.
But often beginner freelancers are faced with a decrease in productivity, because it's difficult to concentrate when there is a comfortable bed, a fridge filled with various delicacies, and you can at any time open your favourite game at without fear of getting caught by the manager.
You can become your own worst enemy through a lack of responsibility and routines, as well as the presence of distractions from your family members, roommates, children, pets and anyone else who stays home with you.
By setting some ground rules and streamlining your routine, you can create a productive work environment. You'll be less distracted and stay motivated by focusing on the task at hand. Here are some tips to help you be more productive at home.
Creating a schedule of the working day
A free schedule allows you to form a work schedule, considering personal preferences, but there is often a temptation to break it. First of all, it is worth determining at what time of day you work best. For “larks” choose the morning hours, and “owls” prefer the evening.
After determining the effective time of day take the habit of strictly adhering to a certain period of the schedule of work. Try not to relax, because it will not be easy to return to the same pace. If unforeseen circumstances disrupt the schedule, try to get back to your schedule as soon as possible.
Avoiding distractions
People around you who are unaware of your work schedule may unknowingly distract you, disrupting your effective work pace. To avoid this, you need to do the following:
- Learn to say “no” to people making extraneous requests;
- Try not to be distracted by personal or domestic concerns, and become fully immersed in the project;
- Create a separate working space or allocate a whole room.
Concentration is sometimes helped by music or turning on the TV, which serves as a backdrop to the work process. But this is individual: for some people any extraneous sounds, on the contrary, interfere.
It's okay if you do other things during your break, like loading the washing machine or grabbing a quick bite to eat. But be careful how much distraction you allow yourself. Avoid activities that take up too much of your time and attention, for example, Bizzo Casino (you can enjoy such activities after work).
Setting timers for any breaks will help you stay focused and remind you when it's time to get back to work.
Choice of workplace
Freelancers can afford to work in absolutely any place, the main thing is to get the work done in time. If a person is more comfortable working in bed or the park, he can afford to take advantage of this advantage.
The main thing is that in such a place there were no distractions that set you up for rest. Also, remote work and home office allow you to wear comfortable clothes because there is no dress code. The exception is video conferencing when it's worth taking care of a decent outfit.
Setting a time to finish work
To get less distracted thinking about the enormous number of free hours, you need to set a time to end the workday. Otherwise, work will pile up and the day will seem endlessly long. An exception can be made for an important project that requires extra hours of work.
A person who does not get enough sleep will notice a decrease in productivity, which can hurt the result. Therefore, it is worth determining which hours will be devoted to working and which to rest, this will allow you to complete tasks on time with maximum efficiency.
Try to find time for meals and breaks
Freelancers often go to extremes: postpone meals for later, preferring to lie on the couch, or immerse themselves in work with their heads, forgetting about rest and food. So it's worth setting a timer that will remind you that it's time to have lunch or distract yourself from the work process and give your brain a little break.
Also, the signal will be able to tell you to get to work according to the developed schedule. Such a solution will help to distribute your working hours and not to be overworked.
Communicate and interact
Since we started working from home, we've lost many of the familiar social interactions that helped brighten the monotony of work and keep us social.
You may not be able to meet someone in person but organizing a virtual event to connect with friends or family is a great way to maintain social connections. Even though we stay home, it's still important to connect and share our joys and sorrows!