How To Stay Focused While Working From Home

With the recent development of the COVID-19 Pandemic, many workers are experiencing the mixed bag of remote work for the first time. While there is no doubt about the many benefits that come with working remotely the: limiting the distractions of office life (phone calls and distracting co-workers), being able to adjust your working environment to match your preferences and needs, and doing your tasks in the way that suits you best.

However, there are a myriad of potential pitfalls to watch out for when beginning the working from home life. Home-based work comes with its own distractions, especially if other people – or even pets – are nearby, it’s possible you could struggle to remain productive when unsupervised, and working from home can often create an “always-on” mindset that can cause many to burn out from overwork.

The distractions of home, along with the isolation that often comes with remote working, can cause you to lose focus and damage your productivity.

Here are five key ways to stop that happening when working remotely:

Motivate yourself. Utilizing self-motivation techniques can help you think positively, boost your self-confidence, and set clear goals for your work at home. When you maintain motivation, you will most likely maintain productivity.

Minimize at-home distractions. When working from home, there are a variety of things that can distract you from your work. Perhaps you notice a pile of dirty laundry that is just begging to be washed or a kitchen counter that is in dire need of cleaning. Or you might suffer interruptions from family or friends. Putting a stop to these distractions could be as simple as shutting the door!

Reward yourself. Simply finding ways to make each task more enjoyable and rewarding, as well as giving yourself “treats” when they’re done can help you stay more productive when working at home. Maybe you allow yourself your favorite specialty coffee for completing a task successfully, or even just give yourself some extra time to relax outside.

Control your social media. Think carefully about which notifications you keep on, and which to mute until after work. Allocate specific time slots for checking your phone and keep to them. If you’re still struggling, see if tools like Cold Turkey Writer™ can help you control your time online.

Know your goals. Along with your short-term, task-related goals, make sure that you’re also clear about your wider career goals you’re striving to achieve when working from home. Keeping these goals in mind will help motivate you to do your best work, whatever your location.

It’s no surprise to see the World Economic Forum pointing to workplace flexibility as a critical topic in the future of work. With the right mindset, remote working can be a positive development in the future of both your career and in the best interest of your company. Just be mindful of the pitfalls of working from home so you can avoid them and stay productive while working in comfortable surroundings.