Work from home is here to stay.
It’s not a trend or a fad.
It’s a business strategy that helps businesses grow by:
- Reducing costs
- Improving productivity
- Boosting morale
- Lowering attrition levels
- Enhance workplace efficiency
According to Statista, the percentage of people worldwide who switched to work-at-home arrangements grew from 13% in 2020 to 28% in 2023.
Whether you’ve been designated as a telecommuter by your company, work privately as a freelancer, or run an online business, here are tips on how to thrive in a work-from-home job.
1. Invest in a Home Office
The home office generates your income. Invest in high-quality equipment that will help you work at your best.
Set a budget. You don’t have to buy the most expensive office equipment. Focus on efficiency.
Let’s talk about your computer.
How much RAM does it need?
- 4GB – Basic tasks and applications.
- 8GB – Word processing, web browsing, streaming, and video conferencing.
- 16GB – Run multiple applications and open tabs.
- 32GB – Graphic design work, video editing, and 3D animation.
How much Internet bandwidth would you need?
- 5 to 10 Mbps – Web browsing and email.
- 10 to 25 Mbps (per participant) – Video conferencing.
- 10 to 100 Mbps – Uploading large-sized files.
- 10 to 50 Mbps – Running applications.
For your office furniture, prioritize comfort and durability.
Buying an ergonomic chair is a good idea. Yes, it might be more expensive than a regular chair, but it’s designed to keep your back, neck, and shoulders healthy.
An L-shaped workstation can help organize your daily tasks. Your computer can be on the short side of the “L,” while the longer side can be used for writing, taking calls, and reading documents.
Here are other office equipment that you can add to your shopping list:
- Whiteboard
- Filing cabinet
- Wall clock
- Desk organizer
Try to replicate the look and feel of your brick-and-mortar office. The goal is to create an environment that’s conducive to work.
2. Upgrade the Technology
Your computer will be the central hub of operations, handling everything from video conference calls to file sharing, streaming, and web browsing to conducting work and running tasks.
It’s going to be a workhorse.
Let’s say your client gives you the following instructions:
“After you open a Slack account, access the links we’ll send you to open accounts in Confluence and 1Password. Then, go to Google Drive and access your assigned project at Google Sheets.”
It would be embarrassing if you couldn’t open a Slack account because your computer is still running on Windows 7!
Update the technology immediately!
- Update to the latest operating system.
- Update the programs and apps used by your client.
- Update your security system.
- Get a larger monitor or an extra one, if needed.
- Replace your headset if it’s worn out.
If your first impression wasn’t good, it might be your last.
3. Set Work Hours
The alarm rings.
You open your eyes.
You smell the aroma of freshly brewed coffee…
Coffee that you can savor because you don’t have to rush out and beat the traffic to work. Savoring your coffee is wonderful – but you still have a full day ahead of you.
People love to work from home because they have flexible work hours. However, if you allow complacency to influence your day, you’ll turn productive hours into wasted hours.
The benefit of having flexible work hours is that you can set the time that you work.
- When are you most alert during the day? Some only need to shower after breakfast and they can hit the ground running.
- What’s your Ultradian Rhythm? The body undergoes recurrent cycles or periods multiple times a day that influence physiological and mental functions. This cycle is called the Ultradian Rhythm.
In the context of productivity, many can sustain focus for 60 to 120 minutes. What’s yours? Identify your Ultradian Rhythm and apply it to your work schedule. - Schedule 30 to 45-minute break periods after your work hours. After 60 to 120 minutes of uninterrupted work, your brain needs to rest, recharge, and reset. Taking a quick break will help your brain get ready for the next task on the agenda.
Try to stick to your work hours. You might be tempted to extend but if possible, once your work hours are done, clear out your workstation.
Tomorrow’s another day!
4. Plan Your Day the Night Before
Have you had a situation at the office when you couldn’t find your pen? How long did it take before you found it?
The time you spent looking for your pen is wasted time. It doesn’t matter if it’s five minutes or fifteen minutes. Those minutes are units of time that you can’t get back.
Worse, is not knowing the first thing to do at work.
You’ll be wracking your brain trying to figure out which task you should prioritize. By the time you’ve identified task number one, you’re stressed out and wasted half the morning.
Procrastination is one of the biggest time wasters. It doesn’t matter if you work at the office or home.
A good way to avoid procrastination is to plan your day the night before.
Here’s a process you can follow:
- Before you close out your shift, do a 10 to 15-minute review of the day that was.
- Identify the tasks you accomplished and rank them in order of importance.
- Set your goals for the following day. Choose only three goals.
- Identify the tasks you need to accomplish to hit the three goals.
- Write the three goals on the whiteboard. Arrange them in order of importance.
- Below each goal, write down the required tasks.
- Prepare all the documents and materials for the following day.
Lastly, clean your home office before calling it a day.
5. Follow a Routine
When you work from home, you have the opportunity to do things you couldn’t do as a regular office employee.
For example, you couldn’t stay on a workout schedule because traffic kept you from getting to the gym before peak hours.
Perhaps there were days you couldn’t help your daughter with her homework because you were tired and sleepy when you got home.
Did you plan to learn guitar but never had the time? This is your chance!
If you can relate to these situations, here’s a routine you can follow:
|
Time |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
7:00 am |
Wake up |
Wake up |
Wake up |
Wake up |
Wake up |
|
8:00 to 9:00 am |
Breakfast |
Breakfast |
Breakfast |
Breakfast |
Breakfast |
|
9:00 am to 3:00 pm |
Work |
Work |
Work |
Work |
Work |
|
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm |
Errands |
Errands |
Errands |
Errands |
Errands |
|
4:00 pm to 6:00 pm |
Exercise |
Exercise |
Exercise |
Exercise |
Exercise |
|
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm |
Family time |
Family time |
Family time |
Family time |
Family time |
|
9:00 pm to 10:00 pm |
Me time |
Me time |
Me time |
Me time |
Me time |
|
10:00 pm |
Sleep |
Sleep |
Sleep |
Sleep |
Sleep |
With flexible work hours, you can manage your time and set aside hours in the day – or evening – for yourself and your family.
Having a routine is great for physical, mental, and emotional health.
6. Communicate with Co-Workers
Not everyone adjusts well to a work-at-home situation.
Some miss the office environment. They miss having to dress up in office clothes or the usual water cooler chatter.
Maybe you do too.
Although you’re working from home, find time to communicate with your co-workers.
- Have a virtual coffee break.
- Schedule weekly meetings.
- Drop them a friendly note, “What are you having for lunch?”
- Check on how they’re doing and find out if they need your help.
- Mark their birthdays on your calendar and greet them when it’s their special day.
Maintaining frequent contact with your co-workers is a great way of building a productive work-from-home culture.
7. Go Brick-and-Mortar… Sometimes
Working from home is a blessing and a privilege.
You get a chance to balance work and life pursuits.
You have time to spend with your family.
However, sometimes it’s a good idea to go back to the traditional work setting and visit your brick-and-mortar office.
- Working in a traditional office setting breaks the monotony of working in a home environment. Call it taking a vacation from working from home. You’ll feel more recharged afterward.
- You get the feel of working with a team again. The engagement level might be higher in shared space collaboration because there are no filters. You see, hear, and feel everyone.
- Going back to the traditional office setting makes you appreciate working from home. It feels good to be back… but you know the truth. Working from home is a better proposition for you.
Some companies rotate their workforce from traditional offices to work-from-home. If yours doesn’t and gives you the freedom to set your work schedule, try to go back to the brick-and-mortar office every two weeks or once a month.
Conclusion
Do you remember the saying, “Don’t bring your work home with you”?
Well, now your work is at home with you. All you have to do is keep them separate and you’ll be fine.
Follow the seven tips we’ve outlined in this article and you’ll be thriving in your work-at-home environment.
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Contact us and we’ll develop a mobile-responsive website that downloads fast, is optimized for search, and is equipped to handle the demands of your business.
