Working from Home: How to Stay Focused

For most people, working from home is a total dream. You get to chill out in your pajamas and set your own work hours. Plus, your coworkers consist of your cat or dog. The quiet and peace of your home might provide you with the opportunity to finally achieve the productivity levels you’ve always worked toward but could never truly achieve.

However, working from home can also mean you get distracted more often. That’s why we’ve assembled a list of tips and tricks to keep you motivated and productive.

1. Equip Your Office Properly for Working from Home

One of the easiest ways to make sure that you’re productive when you’re working from home is to equip your office with the right tools. First, you’ll need a large desk to spread out and get organized. If you choose a desk that’s too small, you’ll feel cramped and unproductive. You may even want to consider a sit-stand converter that allows you to switch between sitting and standing throughout the day.

You’ll also want to invest in an ergonomic chair that promotes a healthy posture while you’re working from home. Make sure the chair you choose has arm rests and lumbar support.

Additionally, you will need to decide on what kind of computer you want for your home office-based business. For example, 2-in-1 laptops offer flexibility, while traditional desktops offer better upgrade options. The choice that’s right for you depends on your work priorities and needs.

Next, you’ll need to update your insurance coverage now that you’re telecommuting. Standard home protection only covers your office equipment for household duties in the home, not for business use.

However, AA Insurance will cover claims up to €4,000 for home office equipment. So make it a point to check your home insurance coverage and replace or update it according to your needs.

2. Change Out of Those PJs

One of the best ways to get yourself ready for a productive day of working from home is by actually putting yourself in the mindset of doing work. So don’t just roll out of bed and drag yourself to your desk. Instead, change out of your PJs into something that helps get you into the right head space to be productive.

However, you don’t have to put on dress pants or wear a suit. You can just put on some yoga pants. You should be comfortable, but if necessary, you could walk outside in your outfit and not look totally out of place.

3. Stay off Social Media and Stop Looking at Your Phone

Social media is a serious attention trap. One second you’re scrolling through Instagram and then suddenly, twenty minutes of your day is gone. If you want to avoid these kinds of apps interrupting your concentration, consider using an app dedicated to focus.

Here are a couple of apps you can use if you need a place to start:

Brain.fm: If you tend to get distracted by music that’s too stimulating, you will love brain.fm. This app gives users functional music that actually helps you stay focused throughout the day when you’re working from home.
Pomodoro technique: This technique is a method used to focus your productivity in 25-minute spurts called “pomodoros.” After every pomodoro, you get a 5-minute break. After four pomodoros, you get a break of 20 minutes.

4. Take Breaks to Exercise When You’re Working from Home

If you’re feeling burned out and unproductive, you can change up your mindset with exercise. Exercise gets your blood pumping. If you have a favorite class at the gym, sign up for it every day at the same time so it becomes an ingrained routine. Exercise is great way to take a productive break that can help you feel refreshed when you come back to work.

5. Don’t Do Household Chores During the Day

When you’re working from home, it’s easy to get distracted by laundry and other necessary household activities. If you want to avoid cleaning on days you work remotely, make sure you spend an hour or two tidying up during the weekend.

Moreover, a clutter-free work space will make your work-from-home life a lot more pleasant in the following week—and much less distracting.

Conclusion

Working from home is awesome. However, it has some pitfalls you will need to prepare for. If you get distracted easily and find yourself failing to get work done, you might even want to consider going to a coworking space.

However, if you’re stuck at home, give yourself the best chance of success by setting up an amazing work space dedicated to getting your to-do list done—and maybe even a little more.

Then, with these tips in mind, you can experience the success you’ve been dreaming about.