Working from Home? 8 Tips to Stay Incredibly Productive

Working from home sounds like the perfect gig, right? Get paid to work in your pajamas with your dog at your feet, no more struggling to rush out the door after getting your kids ready for school only to navigate your way through traffic to the office. As someone who’s worked remotely for several years, I can honestly say that the convenience and work-life balance it offers is something I’d be hard pressed to give up. However, if you don’t work smart, you could easily find yourself struggling to keep up and manage your responsibilities.Below are some tips that keep me successful and productive while I work each day (in my pajamas, with my dog at my feet).

Don’t always work from home

Wondering if you read that right? You did! Sometimes one of the best ways to work productively from home is to get out of it from time to time! Hit up your nearest Starbucks, library, or consider investing in a co-working space. When I’m struggling to be productive in my home office, a trip to the nearest coffee shop with decent WiFi works wonders – a new environment and place to work on occasion cannot be underestimated. Plus, remember when you used to work in an office other day and actually see other human beings? That can’t be underestimated either.

Take a Break!

When you work in a traditional office, you’re constantly getting distracted by the donuts your coworker brought in, the funny stories about what they did over the weekend, and mindless chit chat. While this isn’t productive on a regular basis, it does serve its purpose: it gives you a few minutes to decompress and relax before getting back to work. I have days, working from my home office, where I realize 4 hours have gone by and I haven’t so much as taken a bathroom break, let alone a real one where I step away from the computer for a few minutes.Don’t fall down that rabbit hole! Schedule breaks each day where you get up, make lunch, take a walk, or even read a book for a few minutes so you don’t get burnt out. With that said…….

Schedule “Do Not Disturb” Time

When I first started working remotely, I was nowhere near as disciplined as I am now. Every 5 minutes I was getting distracted by emails I didn’t need to respond to at that moment, the dirty dishes in my sink, or other little chores around my house that had no business being done during working hours. It took a serious attitude shift, and a lot of mindfulness, to become more productive while working from home. One way I accomplish this now is by setting aside time each day where I won’t be disturbed and can work without distraction. I turn off all notifications, (I’m a slave to beeps, rings, and dings – if I hear it, I have to check it, so the best way to avoid this is to turn it all off) close my blinds and office door, and kick my dog out. Yup, I can even be distracted by my dog, because do I really want to be writing this article, or do I want doggy kisses all over my face? Removing every bit of distraction is sometimes necessary when working from home, and it makes taking those breaks even more gratifying!

Video Chat

When I worked as a freelance writer, there were no video calls, only endless emails and chats on the phone. When I decided to give up my writing gigs to join Rype full time, I had to get used to daily video calls each and every day. In the beginning, I didn’t really like it. What’s the point of working from home if I have to put on makeup and respectable clothes? (Respectable shirts, at least – I usually have a cute top on, and pajama or yoga pants on the bottom that don’t match AT ALL, because what my coworkers don’t know, won’t hurt them.) Nonetheless, I cannot say enough how much I look forward to these daily chats now. We usually spend half our time talking about company updates or things we’re struggling with, and the other half chatting about what we did over the weekend, and what we plan to do the next time we get together. Our daily calls make me feel connected to my co-workers and connected to my company, and help me to focus on all of our plans for growth and expansion. It also helps me not to feel so isolated – I’m an introvert, but even we can go a little crazy when we don’t see other people for 2 weeks straight.

Don’t work in your pajamas

I totally get it if you’re thinking “But Michele, haven’t you referenced working in your pajamas like 67 times in this article?” Guilty, but not everybody can make this work. Just hear me out : when you’re in your pajamas, do you want to work, or do you want to Netflix and chill while eating pizza and drinking an entire bottle of Merlot a few glasses of wine? Sometimes, you have to dress the part to play it, and if working in your pajamas makes you feel tired and lazy, it’s your responsibility to get up, get dressed, and do your job.

Have a dedicated working space in your home

Your kitchen table and/or couch don’t count! When I first started out as a writer, I worked at my kitchen table for the first 6 months. Then, whenever I wanted to eat a meal, work on an art project with my daughter, or have coffee with friends, I had to clean off my “work space” and put it away somewhere else. Luckily, I had a finished basement and decided to convert part of it into an office. It felt so good to go down there and work away from all the distractions upstairs. Now, I have a “real” home office, and I can say that it makes working from home that much more enjoyable.

Find a schedule that works for you

Depending upon what kind of company you work for, you may have a lot of flexibility in your work schedule. Night owl? No problem! Early bird? That works too. One of the biggest benefits of working from home (and for Rype) is that while my hours do need to overlap with my coworkers, I also have a lot of room to make my own schedule. I feel most productive super early, and if I want to begin work at 5:30 am and stop after lunchtime, that’s a choice I get to make.

Love what you do

This should go without saying, but if you hate your job, it doesn’t matter if you commute each day or work from home. If you don’t enjoy your job and share your company's vision for the future, working from home can actually serve as an excuse to get less work done, and can quickly become your downfall. Do I love my job each and every day? Of course not, but I believe in my company, and more importantly, truly respect and admire the people I work with. This is what keeps me motivated when I’m having an off day. As a single parent, working for Rype offers me a work-life balance that I could never have working outside of my home, and I never forget how lucky I am to have this luxury. There is no paycheck, bonus, or incentive that means more to me than being able to spend time with my daughter when she gets home from school, or take care of her when she’s home sick.Working from home isn’t the right choice for everybody, and it takes a lot of self-awareness to figure out if it’s the right situation for you. I can say after many years of practice that I love working from home, but it took awhile to get to this place. With a little discipline and hard work, most people can work from home successfully.Do you work from home, or do you commute? Which do you prefer? Share your experiences with us in the comments!