Working Well: 8 Recommendations To Be Productive Working From Home.
/Last night I was on a conference call with a friend who asked me what my working from home best practices were. They thought I would have some good recommendations since I’ve been working from home for close to 20 years and also teach / speak on Time Management, Email Etiquette, Generational Differences and Leadership – not to mention consult about creating productive teams who work from home.
So, because of my friends question, let me share with you 8 recommendations to be productive working from home.
1. Prepare For Tomorrow
A great time management tip whether you work from home or in an office is to always prepare for tomorrow.
As you finish your day, you are in the best place to plan your 3 most important things to accomplish the next day. I recommend writing them down on a pad of paper that will sit on your desk as a constant reminder – not electronically. I find during the night I sometimes have ideas related to those tasks so, I send myself a quick email or write it down somewhere so I clear my head; I know that if I don’t write it down the idea will keep distracting me all night.
2. Have a Dedicated Space
Especially if you are new to working from home you might not have a dedicated office space. Do this as soon as you can… and especially, don’t work from your bed… for many reasons.
Here are two reasons to try to have a dedicated space:
You will be more productive at a desk with a large monitor than working on your laptop screen. I love my laptop – it is my main workplace, but I use a docking station that connects it to a large monitor and I have an external mouse, keyboard and perhaps most importantly… I have a good chair.
You are able stop your day, get away and start up again the next day quickly. As best you can, set up a system where you are not looking at your work all night and all weekend. You have to be able to turn work off, and having a separate space lets you do this… but get back into whatever you were working on quickly when you do want to.
3. Eliminate Clutter
There are a thousand studies that say we work better when we are not piled up with clutter. You might not be the tidest of people – fine, but don’t have your workspace piled up with old files, projects, magazines and dirty dishes.
4. Use Appropriate Software
Other than your standard office suite which I won’t comment on, you and your office mates should get familiar with some cloud-based apps that are build to specifically help people who work remotely and are responsive to tablets, laptops, smartphones etc.. For example:
For Instant Messaging and Team Chat – look into Slack
For Video Conferencing, Web Conferencing, Webinars and Meetings – look into Zoom
For Effective Project Management that lets you work more collaboratively – look into Trello
When exploring technology it’s also important to explore how Email fits with the newer communication tools like Video Conferencing (Zoom) and Instant Messaging (Slack) in order to create balanced communication throughout your team - especially with teams working remotely some or all of the time.
5. Assign Deadlines To Your Work And Expectations
Set deadlines for yourself. If you need something from other people, agree with them on what the deadline / delivery date is.
Setting deadlines keeps you and other people productive, and I believe equally important, setting deadlines manages everybody’s expectations. Without setting expectations you may be waiting around for something that is not a priority for the other person which risks your current project and can put a strain on your relationship as well as future work.
6. Pre-book Team or Project Meeting For The Same Time Of Day
Meetings will come and go, but you should pre-book team or project meetings at the same time so they are predictable for everyone.
Another time management tip is to not book meetings until late morning or the afternoon. You are at your strategic, creative best in the morning so protect that time for your most important work. But, if you have to do brainstorming on an important project you might want to set a one-off meeting in the morning to get everyone when you / they are fresh and well-rested.
7. Reduce Distractions
You know what distracts you and what does not. Do your best to eliminate all distractions – even the subtle ones. Common distractions include:
The TV or Radio…. Even as background noise they can pull your attention… and are annoying for others when you are on conference calls.
Other people in the room
Children – playing or wanting your help
Cooking sounds / smells
The refrigerator or pantry
Leave me a comment below to let me know what your distraction is… or distractions are.
8. Be Social
Working from home can feel isolating. It’s mentally and physically healthy if you can get out for a walk a few times a day. Take advantage of the social opportunities you have… like when you go grocery shopping make a point of saying hi to the cashier. Get to know your neighbours – just saying hi to them when you see them is nice. And, of course call and meet up with friends / family.
For work, don’t always use email and text messages. It’s far too easy to let our fingers do all our communication, but we actually communicate much better information when we use our video conferencing software. Make a point to have a video chat even for quick questions. You will likely be more creative and save time and the bonus is you will have been social at the same time which helps us feel connected with the outside world and as an added bonus will help you build trusting work relationships.
One Last Thought:
"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure." - Colin Powell, American politician and retired four-star general in the United States Army.
I hope you enjoyed my 8 recommendations to be productive working from home. I would like to hear your tips and best practices. Email me or leave a comment below.
If i can help you in any way, please let me know. Click HERE to link to my professional development website.
Bruce
#WorkFromHomeTip #WorkRemotely #HR #stayhomechallenge #Work #TimeManagement
About Bruce Mayhew
Bruce is Corporate Trainer and Executive Coach.
As a Corporate Trainer Bruce Mayhew (of BMC) specialize in customized Time Management Training, Email Etiquette Training, Leadership & New Leadership Development, Generational Differences and other soft skills training solutions in Toronto and across Canada. Bruce is also an Executive Coach to a few select clients.
BMC helps your greatest assets think productive and be productive.
Bruce is an experienced motivational speaker in Toronto and has inspired audiences across Canada and within the USA and the UK. Bruce works hard to always make sure your training event, conference, retreat, or annual general meeting is a success.
Call me at 1 416 617 0462
Email me at bruce@brucemayhewconsulting.com
