How to Transition to Working at Home

Forced to work from home because of the global coronavirus crisis? The initial joy of working from home can quickly be replaced by worries, lack of motivation and never-ending distractions. How on earth can you get things done when there are so many distractions? Working from home can bring many benefits, but it also presents many challenges. Here are some useful tips you can follow when making the transition to working from home.

Set up a quiet workspace

With all the distractions at home it can be very difficult to concentrate on work. This is especially true if you have children at home. So if you want to make sure that you can do things in peace, it’s worth setting up a quiet workspace.

Try to use a room that is not used frequently during the day. Put a sign on the door when you try to work, to let others know that you must not be disturbed. Make sure that the workspace is comfortable too, because if you don’t feel comfortable, you won’t achieve much.

Start as early as possible.

One of the biggest challenges of working from home is delaying the time when you normally start. It is tempting to rest and relax longer in the morning before you start. But this only brings a productivity slump.
If you want to ensure that you stay productive, you should start as early as possible. On the positive side, the sooner you start, the sooner you finish.

Set social media boundaries

You will have much more time to look up social networks if you don’t have the boss breathing down your neck. However, it’s easy to waste hours on social media accounts if you’re not careful. Many home workers find it useful to limit their use of social media during working hours. For example, it could simply be a requirement to use them during a certain time. When you set limits, you become more aware of how much you use it.

Maintain your usual “preparation routine”.

It is really important that you try to maintain your usual routine. This means preparing for work as you normally do. So wake up at the same time, drink your usual coffee and put on your work clothes. It’s amazing how much this can affect your productivity.

These are just a few tips that you can follow when moving to work from home. It can be a big change, but there are a lot of tools and tips that can help you. Trying to maintain your usual routine is one of the best things you can do in these times of change.