How to maintain productivity and stay focused while working remotely?
The answer to this question is quite simple. The biggest challenge in working from home for an PR professional is a lack of structure and routine which you are generally accustomed to in an office environment.
It’s up to you to create a work environment at home with a structure that caters to both your professional and lifestyle needs. These six simple tips will help you stay focused and productive throughout your workday at home.
Define your working hours
It is very easy for your work life to creep into your personal life and vice versa, especially when your office is probably 15 feet away from your bedroom and a simple way to avoid this happening is to define when your work day starts and ends – have a predetermined schedule, whether that is done by your employer or yourself. This rule obviously can be broken when you need to work out of your usual hours to meet a deadline.
Designate your workspace
Whether you have a home office you set-up shop in the middle of your living room, having a designated workspace can help you mentally prepare to stay focused throughout the day ahead. The bedroom is a strict NO (unless that’s where you’re most productive, in that case, to each his own) because it’s very easy to lose focus and crawl under the covers to take a nap or binge watch your favorite series, especially towards the weekend.
Dress for work
Dressing up like you normally would if you are going to step into the office will add to your productivity. Wake up, drink your coffee and get dressed like you normally would before you sit down to work. This seemingly insignificant practice can help you mentally prepare yourself for your workday and acts as a level of separation between your work and home life.
Avoid tending to household chores
Those dirty dishes in the sink, the dirty pile of laundry, a messy living room and everything around you can distract you when you’re working from home. As tempting as they can seem, hold off on all personal talks until your predefined workday is done. Try and tidy up before going to bed every night so that you don’t feel the urge to take it on during your workday.
Take scheduled breaks throughout the day
Schedule microbreaks throughout your workday besides your lunch break. This will help you recharge both physically and mentally – take a little walk around the house, call up a colleague, check on your social media, etc. to prevent getting too immersed in your work and eventually breaking down.
Take advantage of the technology on offer in 2020
Not everybody loves being alone. If you’re an extrovert and you thrive on interacting and sharing your ideas with other people, take advantage of text-messaging platforms like Line to converse with your coworkers all day long. If something important comes up, you can connect with your team on Zoom to have virtual face-to-face conversations. At Vivaldi PR, we are set-up to make full use of the technology at hand.
Follow these simple steps and you will be good to work from home – focused and just as productive as you’d be at the office.
The Human & Digital Communications Agency
Our award-winning communications team blends human interactions & digital engagement seamlessly to produce results for brands.