Are you one of the 31% of people still working from home during 2022 according to Gartner’s predictions? If so, you’ve probably realized by now that remote work is here to stay.

Your temporary office setup probably stopped bringing you joy a few months into the pandemic, but you hung in there due to the temporary nature of your situation.

Well, now that reality has set in, it’s time to upgrade your office and implement some productivity tips to work from home more efficiently than ever before. 

Get all the best ideas here.

1. Get Your Day Off to a Good Start

When you went to the office every day, you probably had a good pre-work routine before setting off for work. Maybe that involved a gym workout, some coffee, and a healthy breakfast to power you through the day.

Now that you don’t need to leave the house, you’re probably still wearing your pajamas at lunchtime, right? 

Bring back your morning routine to help get you in the best frame of mind for a productive day at the (home) office. You should still get in some exercise, make sure you eat something nutritious, shower, and get dressed before you start the day.

As soon as you sit down at your desk, spend some time reflecting on the tasks ahead. A short meditation session will calm your thoughts and prime you for peak performance.

Next, make a list of tasks for the day, number them according to urgency, and set small goals for the day. Goals help you break up your work into manageable chunks and help keep you on track. 

2. Discover Your Deep Work Time

If you want to maximize productivity, it makes sense to do the most complicated tasks when you’re at your best. Only you know when you feel most invigorated, and when you’re least likely to get disturbed.

Interruptions can set you back 25 minutes or more, so make sure you choose a time for intense focus when everyone else is out of the house, or even asleep. 

Many remote workers find getting up extra early in the morning gives them time to work undisturbed. This way, you’ll get to finish your work earlier, and have more daylight hours left over for relaxation or errands.  

3.  Break Up Your Hours

Nobody can work for eight straight hours in a day – and you shouldn’t try to, either. The human mind isn’t designed for such prolonged periods of concentration. 

You’ll make more mistakes, strain your eyes, and tire quickly if you don’t take regular breaks. 

Many remote workers recommend the Pomodoro technique for time management. This method involves setting a timer to measure out 25-minute work intervals, with a 5-minute break in between each one. 

After four sessions or one hour, you take a slightly longer break

4. Implement Task Batching

Keeping all the above time-management tips in mind, group similar tasks together. That means completing tasks with a common thread together.

For instance, if you need to write a press release and a blog post on two different topics, group these tasks together. You’ll work much faster when you’re in the zone, rather than switching from one skill to another too frequently.

This method helps reduce stress levels, too, especially if you complete tasks you dislike first. 

5. Set Limits

Working from home can seriously disrupt your work/life balance. It’s easy to become so absorbed in a task that you lose track of time.

Set an alarm for ‘home’ time, so you know when to call it quits every day.  You must maintain boundaries between work and home, or you’ll burn yourself out and become less productive.  

6. Take Advantage of Tech Tools

There’s no doubt your laptop or desktop PC is your right-hand man while working from home, so maximize them with all the best apps for a productive workday. 

Setapp is a suite of tools to help simplify everyday tasks like speeding up your PC or less familiar ones, such as helping you learn and organize foreign words.

Other useful apps include Slack, Microsoft Team, and Zoom for collaboration, OneDrive for storing large files, and Rescue Time to help you manage your day. 

7. Don’t Become a Hermit

No matter how antisocial you think you are, everyone needs human interaction. Catch up regularly with water cooler chats on video apps with your friends, and make sure you get out of the house during your lunch break.

Taking a brisk walk around the neighborhood in the fresh air will rejuvenate your mind and helps ensure you stay physically healthier, too. 

8. Productivity Tips to Work From Home Undisturbed

A dedicated workspace helps differentiate work from play, for you and the rest of your family. While your pets might not get it quite right, you can train the rest of the family to leave you in peace while you’re in this space.

An office with a door is ideal, but a floor rug in the corner of your living room can help delineate your work zone. 

Place all your devices and apps on ‘do not disturb’ while you’re in a deep work cycle. This includes collaboration tools like Slack and your email. 

If you can’t resist the urge to check for messages every so often, place your phone in another room. 

Make the Most of Every Work Day

With so many tools to help you succeed nowadays, you can accomplish more, faster, and with less stress. 

These productivity tips work from home or the office, or wherever you find your desk located today. Try them, and you’ll soon enjoy the results you crave.

Would you like to discover more about success at work or in business? Browse our blog for the best tips and information.