10 Tips to improve your home office efficiency

9.04.2020

Most of us are spending a lot more time at home office right now. When we’d usually be reporting to our desks, we’re finding ourselves on our couches or at our kitchen tables, trying to complete to-do lists without the built-in discipline of the office.

The expectations are the same, but the environment is not. And it’s not always an easy transition. 

The key to work from home is to create an environment that allows you to focus on the tasks at hand. Whether you are working from home for the first time or just need a quick refresher, here are some tips for creating a functional but productive work environment at home.

10 ideas on how to improve your home office efficiency:

These ideas will help you to make sure that you’re successful, both at getting your work done and at maintaining your personal life too.

1. Design a workplace or home office

One of the biggest challenges when it comes to working remotely is keeping your work and home living separate. If you’re used to going into an office each day, the separation between work and home is physical, and you want to try to recreate that as much as possible with a designated physical workspace at home.

Try to make your workspace comfortable with a chair you can sit in for eight hours a day. Pick up a location with good natural lighting if at all possible.

2. Communication is the key

The dynamics of your working environment will not be the same when you are not working from the office. The key to overcoming this bump is through pure ‘Communication’. The moment you have an idea or a plan in your mind which you would want to implement, make sure you communicate with your managers or reporting manager. This will make sure that you and your manager can work collaboratively and efficiently.

3. Take Proper Breaks

It’s necessary to take breaks while you are working from home. This does not make you feel fresh but will also help you in productive thinking. For example, go for a small run, jog or probably do 15 mins yoga and get back to work. 

4. Dress like you are at work

When all of a sudden you start to work from home, you tend to take things as and when it is convenient. However, this will only make you feel tired, lazy and lethargic. 

When you dress up in an organised way and then sit to work at your designed workspace it impacts your productivity. Not asking to wear a full blazer suit with a tie but just your normal tidy clothes which will boost your energy to work.

5. Keep clearly defined work hours

Follow your normal working hours just like how it was before. Just as you designed and separated your physical workspace you should also be clear on when you are starting for the day and ending too. If you are working with someone on the same project or plan make sure you work as per their timings in order to maintain the speed and productivity. 

The biggest difference between working from home and office is that you are in charge of your environment and have to treat yourself like an employee.

6. Organise your task 

Make sure you have a list of tasks which you are looking forward to completing in the given time frame. Prioritising work and organising in a better format will ensure to measure your productivity at work. This will definitely help you to feel content at the end of the day rather than getting frustrated or feeling unproductive.

7. Implement online solutions to run your business

Get a smart solution to push forward your business. This means online solutions like web portal to help your sales department as a tool to sell products online. Hosting servers to not let your business get affected even if you want to access outside the workplace.

8. Don’t think you are lonely

Just because you are away from your colleagues physically that does not mean you are unable to contact them. Socialise with your colleagues whenever you feel like talking over a phone call, skype, zoom or internal communication portals as this will make you feel as if you are working closely with them.

9. Allocate time for team get-togethers

Conduct weekly meetings with your colleagues over a zoom call or skype call to ensure everything is functioning well with everyone. This enables you to know the responsibilities and tasks of each department and thereby everyone is aware of their job role. This will also help understand your colleagues and forward a helping hand if needed. Work Together!

10.  Train yourself always

Last but not least, make sure you are always trained about the new versions, upgrades and technologies in your business even if you are working from home. Try to learn new work from home hacks which will help you to outgrow yourself and your working skills. 

It’s often said that crisis and opportunity are two sides of the same coin.

The rapidly growing threat that coronavirus presents to all businesses provides an opportunity to create or update your plan in order to protect your business and your staff whatever fate might throw at you.