Work from home?

Raise your hand if you’re working from home these days.

The numbers have skyrocketed in the past year, as employers have moved people to telework in the wake of COVID-19. In fact, according to video conferencing provider Zoom, more than 300 million participants use their software for calls every day as part of the increase in working from home.

While it can be nice to be at home, it can also be easier to become overwhelmed or distracted when your work and personal life converge. We’ve put together some tips on creating a distraction-free office space inside your home, so you can be more productive and efficient in your work.

Determine how you work best

Everyone has different work habits. Not all work from home jobs are created equal.

While one person might be writing code all day, another might be making frequent sales calls. These different approaches may require different types of space.

A person who uses the phone all day may need a space that appears well on the camera for video conferencing; Their schedule may also be split further, with frequent breaks and the need to decompress between calls. A person who is generally an independent contributor may need to get into deep thinking mode and may need a very quiet space with few distractions.

Whatever your work day looks like, think about the times when you feel most productive. Next, determine how you can maximize that feeling while working in your home.

Determine regular working hours

Time can be wasted quickly at home.

There is always something that grabs your attention when you are at home. If you walk into your kitchen to drink water, you may notice some dishes that need to be put in the dishwasher. After that, you may need to throw the cloth into the wash. Then, I noticed that the washer was full – and it could easily become a case of “if you gave the mouse a cookie”.

When you work from home, decide what hours you will focus on work. Connect with these with your housemates, so they know when to leave you undisturbed.

Put a lock on your ‘office’ door

A lock on the door can do wonders in terms of keeping other family members or housemates away (we’re kidding—kind of). However, it can also be a great psychological trick.

When you hear the lock click into place, you switch to working mode. Even though you may be working in your bedroom, it turns into your office while the door is locked.

Create physical separation

In modern homes, an open floor plan can be great for family gatherings or to provide a sense of airy openness. However, if you have more than one person working from home, your open plan home or apartment can make it difficult to find decent workplaces.

To overcome this, do what you can to create physical separation. It can be as basic as turning your desk a certain way or adding a white noise machine. At the same time, it can also be as radical as turning a spare bedroom or closet into a private office space or building a “spare room” office in your own backyard.

According to Mortgage Professional, buyers can be expected to start shopping for larger homes to give themselves a little extra room for their labor efforts. Moving to a new home may seem like a drastic option, but it might also make sense for your company to appear able to offer remote work as a long-term option.

Move some items to storage to give yourself extra space

Troubled times require desperate measures. If you’re having trouble finding a good workspace in your home, consider if making some temporary adjustments to your furniture or storage areas might give you the room you need.

A large closet or pantry, when emptied and packed, can be a great place for a small office. A guest bedroom might be too cramped by setting up a desk alongside regular furniture, but swapping out a larger guest bed for a daybed or Murphy bed can give you the space you need to spread your materials and work effectively.

Packing and storing things away from home can seem like a time-consuming solution; However, it is much easier and less expensive to put a few things aside than to try to find a new home to get the space you need to work.

Look for natural light

You don’t want to strain your eyes as you stare at the computer all day long under harsh overhead lighting. If you can, put your office space in a place where you can enjoy plenty of natural light. However, you also need to balance your desire for natural light with your desire for peace and quiet.

If your housemates frequently pass the most well-lit areas, you may need to switch between those sites and a more private area.

Choose your workspace based on what you need to accomplish. If you’re checking emails, for example, you might be able to do so in a more open space; On the other hand, digging into a project may require a quieter, more closed area.

Natural light can come from outside, too. If you don’t get too distracted, it can be a nice change to work outdoors on your patio, on your porch, or even from your local park.

Working from home can be very efficient and rewarding, or very distracting and frustrating. If you are struggling to make it work, remember that a large part of your work from home is due to your expectations.

If you expect to be distracted, you will likely find ways to put off and postpone your work. In your traditional office, you likely encounter more distractions — meetings, chatting with colleagues, and more — as you make it work. You can do it at home and be very successful; Settling into a good workplace and rhythm is just your first step.

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Photo by Freddy Marriage.