How To Achieve Maximum Productivity When Working From Home

When the pandemic struck millions of us found ourselves suddenly having to work from home.

Last year, almost a quarter of workers working hybrid in 2022.

There are many perks to working from home: no commute, no office noise, or distractions.

WFH has also its challenges.

Working independently requires greater self-discipline.

So what can you do to be more productive whilst working from home?

1. Remove any distractions from your working area

Not all of us have a dedicated home office.

You may be working from a bedroom or a living room.

Working from home is hard because you do everything else there, too.

As a result, it is easy to get distracted by your surroundings. You may find yourself flicking on the TV or tidying things away instead of getting on with your work.

To avoid this, remove all distractions where possible.

This should start by tidying up your working space before you start working.

If you intend to work from home regularly it may be that your need to upgrade your storage, so that non-work items can be stored out of sight whilst you are working.

This can also be used for storing your work equipment during non-working hours, which is great for a good work-life balance, and mental health.

Once you have arranged your space, create a list of the home tasks that often distract you and figure out a way to factor these into your week without becoming a distraction.

For example, plan to do your washing before work or empty your dishwasher on your lunch.

2. Set boundaries at work and home

Setting boundaries with other members of your household is key to your productivity.

It can be challenging to set firm boundaries between ‘work time’ and ‘home time’ when you are always home. Small children may think that you are home because you aren’t working and want to spend time with you.

Discuss your needs with your family. Remind them that you still have work to do and need quiet time to do it.

These boundaries will be completely individual to you. They could include not working past a certain time or not working in certain areas of the house such as your bedroom.

3. Break up your day with a walk or exercise

Take regular breaks, just as you would when working from an office. Even a 10-minute walk around the block during lunchtime is better than nothing.

If possible, set a time to go for a walk, run, or bike ride for some fresh air.

Break up the workday with movement. Working from home means you might be spending a lot more time without moving your body, which can make you feel stiff or tense.

4. Get the right work equipment

If you work for someone else, your employer is legally obliged to supply you with everything you need to get the work done. This may be a laptop, a computer, a second screen, a desk riser, a mouse, a keyboard – anything you need.

NB! You shouldn’t have to use your personal laptop for work reasons!

This opens up tons of cans of worms, if only for security reasons. IT support should always be available to help you avoid issues with desktops and laptops. Your employer IT support for you too.

If the job you perform at home keeps you on the computer for multiple hours each day, you need a quality desk and chair to use.

Some people think that any type of chair will work for a home office setup. In reality, you need an ergonomic chair.

Your laptop screen should be set to your eye line level. This way you’ll avoid headaches and other nasty side effects.

NB! Ask your employer how can they reimburse you for these equipment costs.

5. Make sure the Internet connection is stable

Slow internet is the worst productivity killer.

Having a decent home broadband connection is essential when working from home. 

If your current internet connection has been slow, you can call your provider and ask if they can help you. They can either install a new router or a WIFI booster, get you a discount on your contract or if nothing works – you can decide to just switch providers altogether.

Be prepared to pay a little more to get stability, and faster upload and download speeds (your employer may reimburse you if your work requires a stable connection).