How to be more productive when working from home

With technology today, working from home has become a relatively easy notion for many companies. Virtual private networks, google authenticator apps, and high-speed internet services implement the tech side of working from home.

But working from home effectively is SO MUCH MORE than just the tech side! I know some of you moms and dads who are now working from home and juggling the kids home learning virtually can likely relate!! I know I can!

Here are some things that help me to be productive working from home:

Routine. Establishing a routine for each day has been super helpful for me. My routine is not the same every day, but the key point here is to have a routine or plan before getting the day started. My virtual work from home schedule today looked like this:

5 – 5:30 AM – morning devotions with coffee, a bit of stretching, and time to wake up my brain

5:30 – 7:30 AM – coffee and work from the living room with my laptop. The house is quiet, the phone isn’t ringing, and I can maximize these two hours to get a good bit of work done without distractions.

7:30 – 8:30 AM – morning walk with dog and daughter. We use this time to exercise before it gets too hot, chat about the virtual school schedule for the day, etc.

8:30 – 9:30 AM – virtual school help, assisting my daughter get started for the day, reviewing assignments, new emails together, etc

9:30 – 11:30 AM – I have desk work, phone calls, etc while Gracie works at her desk.

11:30 – 12:30 AM – lunch and family break

12:30 – 3:30 PM – Afternoon work session for both of us (separately so we can both focus!)

3:30 – 5:30 PM – another family break, we use this time for ukulele practice, outside time with the basketball, or maybe even a golf cart ride around the neighborhood. We also prepare dinner at this time.

5:30 – 7:30 PM – family dinner, prepare for bed… sometimes a sunset cruise on the boat 🙂

7:30 – 8:00 PM – story time or family show

8:-00 PM lights out for Gracie, I spend an hour or so finishing up emails, and any other work.

Organization. Organization is HUGE! It is something that can set you up for success or ensure your failure. In our house, organization begins the night before. Before bedtime, I make a list of things I need to do the next day. I do this for a couple of reasons. First, this acts as a brain dump for me so I can sleep better. Second, it helps me hit the ground running the next morning and prioritize my tasks.

My office desk is always overwhelmed with work, piles of folders etc but I like to think it is organized chaos! 🙂 My home office has never been organized… rather a placeholder for household and medical bills, extra chargers that have lost their homes, and assorted artwork made by my daughter. Transitioning to virtual work has required me to get organized and keep it that way! I threw away old paperwork, sorted through files into 2 piles – “to review” and “done”, and decluttered most of the unnecessary items. It has made this work from home stuff much more manageable!

Structure. I have found it is much easier to work in time segments for getting a specific task completed. If I follow a written schedule, I stay on task and get more accomplished, both personally and professionally. This has to work for you, so create your schedule while working from home and make sure to include breaks. For example, I know that I am quite comfortable working on my laptop and can plug away for 45-60 minutes without a break. That is about the time I need a quick break, maybe 5-10 minutes. I need a mental break from whatever task I am working on. I typically use this “break” to return a call, grab a snack, or walk outside for some fresh air.

Creating a routine with structure and organization is no easy task, but a necessary step in increasing your productivity working from home. I am working on a new journal  that will increase productivity. I would love to share it with you when it is ready! Make sure to subscribe to my email list so you can be one of the first to know!’