9 Tips to be Super Productive in Your Home Office

Hi, friend. Elbow-bumps and air high-fives to you.

As you may know, these are not normal times we’re in and what is happening in the world right now is not business as usual. I was supposed to be in the office this week. And you probably aren’t doing what you expected to be this week, either. 

Things have changed rapidly, maybe it’s the ‘new’ normal. And so, during these challenging times, we wanted to take a moment to wish you and your loved ones good health.

Now is the time to take care of each other. We feel this acutely here at FlyMedi, and this is why we thought of giving you 9 tips on how to be super productive in your home office.

Let’s dive in.

 

Set real work hours

Regardless of the amount of work you are going to do, be sure to set work hours to follow each day that you will work from home. This is the best way of showing – not only your co-workers – yourself that you are committed to getting the job done. The best thing about working from home is that you can set flexible working hours that are comfortable for you. 

 

Keep your distractions handy

Sometimes it’s all too easy to become practically glued to your office chair, especially when it gets too comfortable. But if you’re going to be super productive, you will need some few distractions just to help refresh your mind a bit. Make sure you have things like a game app on your phone or book that you can use to distract yourself while you take short breaks. But this demands a lot of self-discipline. You don’t want to end up focusing on your distraction tool more than important work stuff.  

 

Get comfortable

The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard backs up the idea that work shouldn’t happen where you sleep.

So if you haven’t invested in home furniture that will turn your home into an office then you should. Depending on the amount of space you have in your apartment, consider purchasing a large desk, bookshelves, and a comfortable office chair. Tell you what, you’re fooling yourself if you think that you can spend the whole day working from your bed –you might find yourself napping more than getting the work done.

 

Invest in light exercise equipment

Due to this Coronavirus pandemic, chances are every gym in your area or town are closed. But this doesn’t mean that you can't exercise in the comfort of your own home and be actually fit. Nowadays, there are a lot of fitness exercises that you can do while you’re practising social distancing. These exercises can be done with or without equipment. Simple stretches, running or walking, online exercise classes can help you re-energize, shift gears or refocus.

 

Take eye breaks

For the benefit of your eyes, you don’t want to spend the whole day staring at a computer screen, phone or other digital device. A recent study conducted by The Vision Council, concluded that 59% of people who spend the whole day staring at their computer or digital screens are more likely to have digital eye strain or computer vision syndrome. Make it a point that you find time to look at something other than your computer, phone screen or television. Exercise your eyes, blink more often, take a walk in your backyard, adjust your computer display settings, use proper lighting or consider computer glasses.

 

Work with purpose

Work with purpose, just like you were going to do if you were working from the office. Each and every morning before you make coffee and head straight to the computer, make sure that you have a to-do list for the day –and follow it. Everything that you will need to get the job done should be around you, be organised and force yourself to stick to the tasks at hand. Cross items off the list as you go.

 

Dress like you are going to office

It can be tempting to spend the whole day wearing sweatpants or pajamas when working from home for an extended time. You might not know this yet, but the way we dress influences our moods. There’s something about dressing up that makes you feel more professional and ready to tackle your work in the most productive way possible. Yes, you do not have to adhere to an office dress code, but if you want to be super productive, it’s best that you keep it cozy and casual.

The great thing about clothes is that you can always switch up your look based on your mood. While working from home, you'll likely have days where you just don't feel like getting dressed up. And that's totally OK!

 

Avoid Social Media

Contrary to popular belief, self-discipline isn’t a severe and limited behavior. But it is actually the ability to do what you want to do: even when you don’t feel like it. If you are going to get some work done, while working from home, then you need to keep those social media notifications at bay. It’s best if you put your phone on silent and concentrate on what will help you pay the bills first. Messages can always be responded to later, but deadlines have to be met. Remember, urgent is not the same thing as important. Just because your friend poked you on Facebook doesn’t mean you must drop everything and immediately respond to them. 

 

Eat away from your workstation

This might sound far-fetched, but it is really important. When working from home, you have the access to your kitchens and many other rooms, so why eat from your desk? Working from home is all about being flexible, even when you are taking lunch breaks. If you ask any work-from-home veterans, they will tell you that there is a temptation to keep working when you eat at your desk.

 

This content is edited by Flymedi Medical Editors in April 2020