How to Stay Focused When You’re Working from Home

Working from home can be a challenge. There are no colleagues to break up the day, no commute to keep you on time, and no one to ask for help when you get stuck.

Working from home also comes with its own benefits: You save money on gas, clothing, and commuting costs; you have more flexibility in where and how often you work, and you don’t need a room in your house just to store your desk.

However, it’s also challenging because it is so different than being at an office all day every day. You don’t have colleagues looking over your shoulder or friendly faces at the water cooler as conversation starters.

Tips on how to stay focused when you’re working from home:

Are you working from home? If so, there’s a good chance that you sometimes find it hard to stay focused on your work. Here are some tips to help you stay productive and get things done.

Give yourself a workspace

You may be tempted to work on the couch, in bed, or on your couch, but those places make it harder to stay focused. Create an area in your home that is designated for work. Create a space that facilitates productivity and workflow.

This space could be a desk, kitchen table, or an area near the windows. It doesn’t matter where it is as long as it is your space. In this space, you can keep all your work tools, papers, and supplies.

You don’t want your work to follow you from room to room, especially if you are at home with children who might be influenced by your work. Create a space where you can focus on your work, not where the family comes together.

Turn off your phone

When you are at work, don’t check your phone. Period. Unless the call is from a client and you can’t wait to get back to them, turn off your phone. You don’t need to be available 24/7 and respond to every message as soon as you get it. You don’t need to be checking your phone every five minutes. Put your phone on silent and turn it off.

If you are expecting an important call, let your clients know your work hours. If you are expecting an important call but you don’t want to miss it, put your phone on do not disturb so the call goes straight to voicemail. Make sure to turn it back on again so you don’t miss other important calls and appointments.

Set working hours

If you are like many people who work from home, you will find yourself working all day, every day. You will find yourself working while you should be sleeping, eating, or taking care of your family. Say – many of you might be guilty of working all the time, but sometimes you need to work.

Set working hours for yourself. Create a schedule for yourself to keep you on track and on task. You may find these hours change as you and your family adjusts to your working from home routine. You may find these hours don’t work for you at all. That’s OK. You don’t have to follow them if they don’t work for you. Instead, find a schedule that works for you, your family, and your work.

Have a routine and ritual

Working from home works best when you have a routine and a ritual. You don’t want to be glued to your computer all day, every day. So, use your time wisely and productively.

Create a routine and a ritual for yourself and your work day. Don’t be aimless and haphazard in your work. Be productive, efficient, and methodical.

Working from home means having a routine on what needs to be done and when it needs to be done. How about planning for your day and your week? You want to know what comes first and what comes next.

Make a to-do list

You can’t do everything at once – you don’t have superhuman abilities and superhuman powers. Nobody has the ability to do everything all at once. That is why you need to make a to-do list for yourself.

Make a list of everything you need to do for your work. Put the most important tasks first and the least important tasks last. Break these tasks down into smaller chunks that can be accomplished in a day.

When working from home, you don’t want to get overwhelmed by a huge list of things you need to do. You want to be able to check off items one by one.

Block-out times for work and play

You need to be productive and work, but you also need to rest, relax, and have fun. So, hear us say: you don’t have to work all the time. Why not schedule time for both work and play?

Block out times for your work and time for fun and relaxation. Your work times should be focused on your work. Your fun times should be focused on your play.

This doesn’t mean you have to be completely unproductive during your play times. Read and research during play times as long as they don’t become work times. Play with your children, walk with your spouse, garden, or do whatever you enjoy during your play times.

Summary

Working from home is challenging and rewarding. You need to find ways to stay focused, keep yourself on track, and use your time wisely. I mean, you don’t want to get distracted by all the comforts of home.

Likewise, you need to manage your time wisely and use your time productively. What’s more, be aware of your energy level and know when you need a break. Lastly, you need to put your phone away when you are working and avoid distractions.