According to the Federal Reserve, the number of people working from home has tripled in the last 15 years, and with the outbreak of COVID-19, working from home has increased over time.
A lot of small businesses are exploring the concept of having online platforms to keep their audiences engaged. On the other hand, employees who are accustomed to working in offices face the challenge of working from their bedroom.
Here are a few tips our team at Kingdom Branding put together for employees or business owners who may have been forced to change their working habits:
1. Plan your day:
To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail. Always plan your day the night before or early in the morning. Don’t hesitate to make a to-do list prior to your work hours. Work hours may differ based on the individual. Some people prefer working in the mornings while others love to work at night. So, know what works best for you and do what works best for you. You can use project management apps like Asana, Basecamp, Trello, Freedcamp, Ntask, or Wrike.
2. Daily routine:
It’s best to start your day with something familiar, little tasks you would have executed if you were going to an office. It could be breakfast, prayer, meditation, or a brief workout/stretch. You should even dress up as you would if you were going to the office. Here are some cool apps that would be beneficial to your morning routine: YouVersion, Calm, and Headspace.
3. Creating to-do lists:
Always create a to-do list before starting your day, starting with the items of the most priority. You’ve got to plan the work and work the plan. Creating lists can help you review your priorities, tasks, and deadlines. Managing your time could boost your effectiveness and productivity at home. You can use time tracking/time management apps like Toggl, RescueTime, or Harvest to keep up with your daily tasks.
4. Understanding your metrics:
What are your metrics — your peak, breaks, and time blocks? Know the times that work for you. Know your productive peak periods. These are times when you are most focused and can get a lot of work done. Take regular breaks. Know your time blocks. These are times when you want to dive right into your work and need no distractions. We love using Todoist for time blocks.
5. Dedicated workspace:
Find a workspace or a focus bubble in your home. It’s only temporary, but you want to create a space that will enhance your productivity. Don’t pick the living room or your bedroom; you may be tempted to watch movies on Netflix or sleep.
You can invest in comfortable, ergonomic office furniture (chairs, desks, tabletops), an active router, and hardware or software that can make working from home successful.
Some companies offer assistance with this if they see it as an investment. Our CEO, in particular, buys everything we need from Amazon. Let your company know how they can assist you with your work needs.
This week, we have just five tips, and we would like to open the floor to any routines you may have tried. It doesn’t have to be 100% bulletproof. Feel free to leave your suggestions in the comment section.
