Tips for Working from Home

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Real Estate

Judith Sutton ABR CRS IDS PMN ASP IAHSP SRES GREEN

Judy@JudithSutton.com   908 803-0472

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Six Tips for Productivity When Working from Home

Useful tips to help create effective habits and achieve greater productivity 

Invited CB Guest: Gabriel

 

Adapting to a new work environment is always difficult, even when it’s moving into the comfort of your own home. Working from home can present new obstacles for those we are learning to manage work and life, in their household. Different challenges like implementing new rules, practicing good habits and maintaining a healthy balance, are very important.

Here is how to identify some useful tips to help create effective habits and achieve greater productivity:

Create a Workspace (And Keep it Tidy)

First, create a designated workspace that you can call your office and in which you keep your work. This helps to make the distinction between where you work and where you live.  

Make sure to keep your workspace organized and keep your essentials at hand – notes, office supplies, water, and brain-food snacks. This helps you focus and avoid getting up to find things, constantly, which can lead to more distractions. 

Stick to Your Regularly Scheduled Programming

Try to keep your normal routine and schedule in place. Use the time you would normally take to commute to do something for yourself – make a good and healthy breakfast, take a shower to ready you for the day, or walk the dog a little longer. Some professionals may already be accustomed to flexible schedules. But, if you must spend more time at home than normal, find ways to supplement what you would be doing – like expanding your social media marketing skills or attending a web-based seminar. 

Dress for Success

(this one is my personal favorite!) While you may not want to dress in a full suit or in business wear, getting out of your casual cloths helps you get into a productive and more energetic mentality.  Dress professionally for your video calls – it reminds your clients and colleagues that you are always a professional, and on your A-game. How you dress affects your mindset.  Hooray!

Stay Connected

Keep in touch with your clients and colleagues by recognizing the adopting the best platforms to reach them. From Microsoft Teams or Zoom to social media, there are numerous platforms that facilitate communicating, sharing files, creating appointments and virtual meetings. The key is to identify your goals and the best format to connect with your desired audience.

Coordinate Do Not Disturb Times

For those who are not working from home alone, it is useful to coordinate do not disturb hours with those living in your household. That could mean creating a schedule around your workload or organizing your workload around their schedule. Find what works best for you. Also, create the Zen space that helps you to concentrate, but this doesn’t always mean working in silence, especially when external noises may be inevitable. 

Consider noise cancelling headphones, calming sound effect apps or maybe instrumental music online. For example, Spotify offers Focus Music Stations with a variety of sounds.

Workspaces could have doors that shut, which is key when you need privacy for calls or to focus. Try to implement a policy during normal working hours and save all personal discussions and business until after work hours, unless it’s a true emergency. This will keep you on task.

Remember to Get Fresh Air and Water

Productivity doesn’t occur from non-stop, limitless hours of work. Sitting at a desk for extended periods of time can be detrimental to your health. Working past your normal office hours can be easy when you’re at home, but it can also lead to exhaustion and loss of sleep. A healthy balance is vital to ensuring productivity and efficiency! Use your break time to step out and get fresh air or even your normal commute time home, for a quick walk.

Suggestion:  Adjust your day by designating hour bands that are strictly for work. Address all immediate emails, questions or concerns relating to current transactions first and then work on different aspects of the business each day of the week. It is important to re-energize, so incorporate 15-30-minute breaks throughout the day. By midday, step away and address any chores or personal errands so that by the time you come back, your mind is fresh and refocused.    And do not forget to eat!

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