Top tips for working effectively from home

Since we last wrote, things have changed quite a bit! Due to the coronavirus outbreak, Spain is currently on lockdown until mid April as a minimum! So, with the current situation bringing many limitations, we thought we’d give you a few tips on how to make working from home more effective. It’ true that this situation could be seen as challenging, or on the contrary, it could be seen as a way to boost your efficiency. 

Find out how to improve productivity from home, right here…

Set up regular work hours

First things first, you need a set working day in order to get things going. In order to stay productive, it is very important to keep repetitive routines and have discipline in order to stick to them. That’s not to say you can’t be adaptable, but the initial routine needs to be established.

We suggest waking up one hour before the time you need to be online, and trying to keep it at a similar time every day, so your body clock gets used to it. Next would be to prepare yourself as usual for a normal working day in the office. This will help you to feel more alert and ready to start work. Creating an orderly routine with regular habits is sure to help and even giving yourself time restrictions on certain tasks will all contribute to better productivity.

Keep work and personal time separate

Working from home doesn’t mean that now is the time to catch up on personal tasks to be done during working hours. Plan your time, allocate breaks in which you can be on social media, attend to housework, call a friend etc.  And if possible, try to keep these breaks limited to 15 minutes, as the coffee/ cigarette break would take at work.

Plan your workflow

Make a daily plan of tasks you need to complete during the day. Have it written out in front of you, with the main activities highlighted in some way. This will bring a structure to your day and ensure that the most important tasks get done! The bets feeling is crossing out tasks when completed. It’s a great motivation and can also be a good way to track your progress.

Break up the day

When having breaks, make sure to get up from your desk. You could go out for lunch or just take a stroll to get some fresh air. Other breaks could be having a healthy snack, talking to someone or doing some stretching. These breaks will help you stay positive and be ready and eager to get more work done. Sometimes it’s also good to focus on something ele and then come back with a fresh perspective if your work is proving difficult to progress with. 

Create your work space

Putting yourself in work mode starts with creating the right space in which to work from. Set up a desk where you feel comfortable and focused. Some of our main tip regarding your work space would be…

Minimize distractions- away from family members, low noise level, away from devices such as TV or other distractions,

Comfortable- have a good chair, work at a desk that makes your computer screen at eye level so you don’t have to lean over, good lighting, and a peaceful environment

Accessible- make sure what you need is at hand e.g. pens, notepads, work papers, devices, strong internet connection etc. Having what you need readily available will prevent unnecessary time wasted.

Lastly, working from home does not mean you should stay isolated. You are still a part of the team, keep the team spirit, be in touch with your colleagues, exchange jokes and small talk, same as you would do in the office. Now is the time when it is most crucial to keep in touch with your team, to know what they have done in order to have your work flowing smoothly and still be able to deliver on projects on time. There are plenty of digital tools and platforms available to help you keep track of work progress among your team.

We hope these tips will help you in some way to stay on task and make the most of this work at home period!