5 tips to overcome procrastination while working from home

Whether you are currently working from home or aspire to be a remote employee, it’s important to recognize the pros and cons. There are a lot of benefits such as no daily commute, more flexibility with your day, and the ability to earn money from the comfort of your own home. But, with a home environment comes a lot of distractions that make it easy to procrastinate and not work at 100% efficiency.

So, whether you’re new to the #workfromhome life, or a seasoned WFH-er who has trouble staying on track some days, here are five strategies to help you stay productive and make the most out of your workday!

Set up your own space

Having a space that is dedicated to working will be beneficial to your success. I found that by setting up a spare room in my house as a designated office space, I was able to get into a work mindset because I was in a different environment than the rest of my home. And, I got to organize it and decorate it to maximize my comfort! If you don’t have a spare room that can be turned into an office, claim a living room or bedroom corner as your own for a few hours during the day.

Reduce distractions

We all get distracted, it’s human nature! It’s important to set some guidelines to help you limit interruptions. If you have others in the house with you, set rules of quiet hours and let them know when you are and are not available throughout the day. If you are a parent (human or pet!), try and set them up to be successful on their own for a few hours throughout the day so you don’t have to disrupt your workflow constantly.

Set up a work schedule

It can be easy to blur the line between home and work when they are in the same environment, especially when you don’t have the same structure as you would in a company work space. Creating a clear schedule of when you will be working, and setting realistic goals you can achieve within that time frame can help you stay organized and get more done, making that “end of day” celebration even more enjoyable!

Make an actionable to-do list

Speaking of to-do lists… make sure you create one! Here’s some quick tips to get started:

1. Brain dump. List out all of the tasks you have to accomplish for the day.

2. Organize tasks by level of importance. At the top of your list should be the ones that MUST be completed before you log off for the night, end with the tasks that are a lesser priority. There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to prioritizing your tasks. It's about determining which are the most urgent so you can get those out of the way first.

3. Keep it manageable. Keep your tasks specific and easy to use. Don’t try and spell everything out, keep it realistic to what you can accomplish in a day. It should give you a big picture of what needs to get done.

4. Add some times. This is known as “time blocking” and is my personal favorite way to stay on track! Adding in specific times that you will be working on a task helps you stay focused and keeps yourself accountable. For example:

   • Check emails: 8:30 - 9:15 AM
   • Import new customer information: 9:15 - 10:45 AM
   • Begin follow up calls: 11- 1 PM

If you're anything like me, you'll get a little boost of #motivation every time you cross something off!

Take regular breaks

You don’t need to work 8 hours straight to achieve maximum productivity. Don’t feel bad about stepping away from your computer from time to time! Take advantage of downtime to take a quick walk, stretch and focus your energy on a non-work-related activity for a few minutes. Don’t forget to eat lunch and drink lots of water, too! Nutrition and hydration are essential for brain power and focus.

Do you have a work from home story to share?? We want to hear it! Let us know in the comments below!