Strategies for Working Productively from Home
With many people working from home for months due to the global pandemic, finding ways to work productively can be a challenge. ACET’s Communication Manager, Jolene Roehlkepartain, worked from a home office for 22 years before joining ACET, and she has also found that she’s needed to adapt with this unprecedented work situation. Here are her top 10 strategies:
Create a designated work space. Even if you have to put it away at the end of the workday, having a specific space to work will signal that it’s your place to work.
Set daily work goals. You’ll be more productive if you have a plan and daily goals.
Take frequent breaks. Get up. Move around. Drink water. Being sedentary for too long will diminish your productivity.
Know your work style. Schedule your day that works for your style. Some people are more productive focusing on a few projects at a time. Others excel at short, multiple projects.
Reach out to coworkers. Email. Zoom. Call. Text. Chat function. Find ways to stay connected to your coworkers to avoid isolation.
Declutter your work space. “The problem with clutter is overstimulation,” environmental psychologist Dr. Eleanor Ratcliffe told the BBC News. Create an appealing workspace that’s clutter free.
Be compassionate toward yourself and others. The pandemic has created unprecedented grief, anger, and loss. Be kind to yourself and others.
Work comfortably. Have a comfortable, supportive desk chair. Take eye breaks from your computer screen. Use a lap blanket to keep yourself warm.
Fend off Zoom fatigue. Avoid scheduling Zoom calls all day. Pace yourself.
Connect to the outdoors. Work near a window if you can. Have an office plant. Use a nature screensaver. (Then go for a walk outside before or after work.)
How are you working productively from home? Please share your strategies at info@acetinc.com.
