How to Stay Focused Working from Home

Zoom meetings after Google meetings are the new office setup today as the pandemic put the world in topsy turvy, and staying at home has become a new norm.  Many switched to working from home since the pandemic began, and seasoned remote workers who’ve been working from home even before the pandemic. Most days, I’m thankful that I get to work from home, with my husband and kids nearby, that I can sleep a little longer, listen to whatever music I want, dress up in more comfortable clothes. 

 

However, working from home challenges your self-discipline because it can be easy to lose focus, stay off course when no one is looking over your shoulder. Let me share tried and tested tips on how your readers can create a structure and discipline themselves to separate their business/work from their personal lives and be more focused and productive while working from home.

 

How to Stay Focused Working from Home

Come to think of it, and when you can’t compartmentalize your professional life and personal life location-wise, it can get to you with distractions and a confused mindset. If this is something that worries you too, here are some tips that work for me, helping me stay focused while working from home.

 

Have a dedicated workspace

Although working remotely gives you access to your work anytime, and its flexibility is considerably helpful, it’s still essential

to set up a home office or at least a dedicated workspace. It helps you stay focused and gives you a working mindset. I used to have an office and desk to work from, but would often find myself working in the kitchen or at the table because that’s where the kids were. And my desk became a catch all that never saw much work. So I moved it to another property and now work from the kitchen counter where I bring out all my work items when I’m working and then put all of them away when I’m done. It helps me create a space and time to work versus always having a place to catch everything and try to dig out when I want to work. 

Stay off social media

I can easily get lost in the social media wonderland that is Pinterest and forget my tasks. To some, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok have this rabbit hole effect. Before you know it, you’ve consumed a considerable amount of time perusing your social media. If this is becoming too distracting to you, it’s better to stay off by turning off your notifications or use apps that help avoid getting distracted by social media. I do the same thing for my phone — all notifications are off all the time, otherwise it gets time consuming and distracting easily. 

 

Have a morning routine

Productively structure your day by establishing a good routine. Eat your breakfast, meditate, water your plants and set a specific schedule for that. How you start your day is critical in how the rest of it will serve you. Stay on schedule and do something in the morning to boost your drive for the entire day and start with the most crucial task.

 

Set boundaries

The truth is, when you have kids at home, setting boundaries can be a challenge. So, it’s essential to talk about it with your partner about having a system and schedule so you can both work and find the right rhythm of spending enough time with your kids. Your Zoom parties with your friends can wait. Respect your office hours even if you’re working from home and do more leisurely activities after.

 

Create a schedule

First off, learn what you need to focus on for the day. Make it visible; perhaps use an actual calendar on your work desk, or you can also use an online scheduler that helps you organize your tasks. Every day, before you start your day, check your schedule, what your priorities are for the day, and your impending deadlines. It is precisely to get you to focus on your list and find yourself time for scheduled breaks.

I live and die by my calendar on my phone, because it reminds me when to pick up and drop off my kids, what other events and appointments I have, and can recur as often as needed. I don’t have a visual calendar, but one on my phone that I can share with my family and let them know when I’m not going to be available. Figure out what works for you and stick to that. 

 

Automate as much as you can

Utilize technology to its best abilities and by that, I mean automate. Pre-schedule whichever you can like emails and social media posts, automate your billing. The plan here is to keep your back-office tasks running smoothly, especially those that are repetitive, routinely, and has step-by-step processes. I love to use Planoly for my social posting, Zapier to connect things automatically that happen over and over again, Hostaway for my short term rental communication, and Google Home to remind me of things I ask with a simple voice command. 

 

Know when to clock out

One of the habits that’s so difficult to break is clocking out on the dot. It sometimes gets in the way of your personal life. It’s

tempting to use your extra time for something you need to do for work like a family dinner or coffee date with friends just because your work has become accessible to you geographically. Train yourself to create that barrier and clock out as scheduled. It is also helpful to keep you from crashing and burning. 

 

Enjoy your breaks

It might sound foreign to you but enjoying your breaks is very productive. Break times are like resets, and it keeps your mind fueled with zest to work. However, you need to be careful and figure out what schedule works for you best. Find that balance and make your breaks worthwhile by maybe drinking your coffee, reading a book, playing a quick game with your kids, or munching on your favorite chips. The important thing is to enjoy your break so you can come back refreshed and ready to get back on task asap. 

 

Use the right tools

The right tools are your work from home lifeline. If your workspace has the proper lighting and location, your desks and chair are ergonomic, your wifi is high-speed, and your laptop works smoothly, then there’s a big chance that you can do your job seamlessly. It’s essential to be comfortable enough to think and finish your task with ease. 

 

Also, know that every day might be different as well when you are starting out working from home. Some days, the weather can affect us more than others, sometimes our space might need changed up a bit, while others are perfect days where nothing distracts. Having patience is important. Don’t expect to get it all right the first time, make mistakes, try out new routines, and tools, and figure out what works for you.