Many people are working from home these days—whether by personal choice or due to COVID-19 protocols. Our business model at Patten Bookkeeping and Consulting allows our team to primarily work remotely, which is awesome! While working from home has its perks, there are challenges that can come with it as well. This is the first in a series of posts where we hope to address some of those challenges and help you to make the most of your time working from home.
1. Create a Dedicated Workspace
This doesn’t necessarily have to be an office separate from the rest of your house, but having a spot set aside specifically for work helps you stay organized and lets your brain know it is time to get into work mode.
2. Set Working Hours
Keeping a consistent schedule helps you (and potentially your co-workers/clients, if applicable) to know when it is work time and when it is not. It is important to make boundaries with your time since it is harder to “leave work at work” than if you go to work at a traditional office.
3. Identify Your Most Productive Working Time
We are all wired to work the most efficiently at certain times of the day. Understanding that fact can help us be strategic with how we structure our time. Once you have identified your most productive times, try to tackle your most important, difficult, or technical tasks during those hours.
4. Use Technology to Your Advantage
Evaluate what kind of work you are doing and how technology might be able to help you do it more effectively. Would a dual screen setup help you complete your computer tasks more efficiently? Is there is a software program or an app that could make things easier for you?
5. Reduce Distractions
We always have distractions to deal with in every environment, but working from home can have its own unique kind of interruptions and things that attract our attention. Try to reduce distractions to make the most of your work time and be fully present with your family and friends during non-work hours. We will have a future post all about this topic!
6. Take Breaks
Make time for down time throughout your workday. It can be hard to stop working, especially when you feel like there is so much to be done. However, we cannot work to our full capacity if we never take a break. Look away from the screen, take a walk, grab a quick snack—then you can dive back into your work feeling refreshed.
What else has helped you to be productive while working from home? Let us know in the comments!
—Ashley DeVore, Operations Manager
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