Working from home is a very popular modern phenomenon. People lean towards the freedom and this desired feeling of independence from the office cubicles. For too many years people didn’t have any alternative to the usual office work and had to follow the dress code, come to work at 9 AM and leave around 6 PM.
This old-fashioned approach is still on the market, but the latest studies show that the number of freelancers is constantly growing. Big and reputable media sources admit that the freelance workforce market share will be huge by the year 2025.
However, there is one thing that people tend to forget: sometimes working from home is a bit harder than in the regular office. Your productivity depends on the working environment that you create; and while the usual cubicle at work helped you to avoid the distractions, your room has too many productivity killers in it.
While dozens of cities around the world brag how good they are for any job seeker, we want to show you how your home may kill your productivity; then you’ll be able to get the most out of your work zone at home.
Organize your workspace and mark the working zone borders
The first thing that you may forget is that your room served as a place for relaxation for too many years. Now you have to explain to yourself that this is also the place where your workflow should take place. To make sure that you approach and tackle your work tasks effectively, you’ve got to mark the borders of your work zone.
So let’s say you have a big room where you sleep, work and chill. Establish basic rules stating that you chill on the couch, sleep on the bed and you work hard once you approach your table with a laptop.
One of the main productivity killers is the ability to work on the couch. Then you start feeling too comfortable and lose the working mood completely.
Hide things that may distract you
There is a ton of things that can do that and there is no need to find out which ones do. Just follow the general rule of thumb that your working table should be clean.
You only need a few vital things like your laptop, your headphones, mouse, keyboard, and any other helpful devices.
When we settle into our home, we make it comfortable and cozy; we bring a lot of nice and fun things into our home, but that’s not what you really need in your ‘office.’ Try to avoid keeping something entertaining, loud and simply distractive on your table, on the windowsill or anywhere near your work zone.
Put together a work-friendly playlist
We all like to listen to different music, but when it comes to the working playlist, your best bet will be choosing something meditative. Try to determine what kind of music works for you the best and keeps you productive and motivated enough to get through your routine.
You may not notice how your hip-hip playlist is killing your working vibe because you concentrate on the lyrics.
Sometimes music is not necessary
That’s where we come to the fact that some types of work are not compatible with music. When you work as a freelance writer, for example, any kind of music with lyrics and loud beats will distract you.
This type of work requires the highest level of concentration. Try out working in silence half of your workday, and you’ll notice how it may affect your productivity in a good way.
Schedule your breaks
Some of you may think that real hard workers are so tough that they never take any breaks, but that’s simply not true. Taking breaks is the best way to sustain your ability to work hard enough and finish your tasks.
Everyone needs a break, and no one can work for 6-8 hours straight. Just take a small coffee break, forget about your laptop screen and give yourself and your eyes some rest. You’ll thank yourself later!
Ergonomics matter
Change your chair and forget about staying in your bed with the laptop. This is not good for your posture and gets you closer towards tiredness.
People tend to neglect the need for getting a really good chair and choosing the right setup for their workstation. We believe that you can be more productive sitting in a comfortable chair that supports your back properly. When you sit on some weird chair that you found in the kitchen, you’re killing 50% of your productivity.
You need natural light
Natural light is crucial. For some reason, taking a look at your bright window makes you want to work harder and helps you to sustain the needed level of motivation.
Working in a dark room with no light is not only harmful to your health but also kills the whole idea of comfort. It’s devastating and sad; you can’t find any reason or motivation to work when you don’t see what’s outside of your workspace.
We genuinely believe that your home affects your productivity directly. Once you approach this seriously and work on your interior, distractions and other working zone fundamentals, you’ll achieve huge success.
===
Shirley Lowe is a pro blogger and marketer from Burbank, CA. She is getting amazed by the innovative approaches to productivity, and loves process optimizations. Shirley is currently in the real estate industry, and writers content for Landlord’s Tips and Rentberry. Check her in the social media: Twitter, LinkedIn.