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5 Essential Tips to Stay Productive While Working From Home

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Well, it’s official: America’s gone remote. Gallup reports 45% of U.S. employees work from home, and the trend doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon (or ever). But with 14% of workers saying they actually get less done from home, we can’t ignore the obvious: there are often distractions that can make it challenging to stay productive when working from home.

I’m not here to rain on the parade of the remote (my coworkers love that our company is remote!). However, like anything, there are things we can all do to make remote work better—and more productive.

So, here’s a toast to staying productive while working from home, along with five tips to help you and your team do it.

Tips to stay productive while working from home

Not everyone struggles with productivity while working from home. In fact, an overwhelming majority (nearly 60%) are more productive at their residence. But even this 60% is bound to have some dips in productivity once in a while because, hey, we’re all human.

Here are some tried-and-true tips to help you stay on track throughout the day while working from home.

1. Limit the Zooms

You’ve probably heard about how too many meetings (especially long ones without a road map) can be a huge waste of time. Virtual meetings are no different—but now, there’s an extra catch: Zoom fatigue.

Ever heard of it? Zoom fatigue is burnout associated with videoconferencing overuse. People are getting tired from attending too many virtual meetings, which leads to drops in productivity. The reason for the phenomenon is simple. Virtual meetings require us to excessively stare at not only the people in the call, but also ourselves.

So before you start filling up your and your employees’ calendars with virtual meetings, you might consider:

  • Condensing the number of meetings you have into more meaningful meetings
  • Substituting some meetings with email or another communication tool (e.g., Slack)
  • Hiding self-view (so you’re not staring at yourself!)
  • Turning off your camera from time to time

2. Set up a separate workspace if you haven’t

If you or your employees work out of the living room or bedroom, it may be time for a change. Setting up a separate workspace, if possible, can do a number for productivity. Who wants to work where they sleep? Or sleep where they work? You get the picture.

A separate workspace can help you separate home and work. That way, you’re less tempted to do laundry or take personal calls during the workday. Likewise, separate spaces can help you and employees truly be done working after the workday ends.

Of course, having a separate workspace won’t work for everyone. Whether you’re in an apartment, condo, house, tiny house, or whatever else, you may not have the space for a full-scale office. The good news is that there are work-arounds. For example, you can set up shop in a corner and use a room divider. Or, you can mentally draw the line between work and home when you step away from your desk for the night.

3. Map out your days with a list

I don’t know about you, but the days are getting busier and busier. You’re bound to lose track of at least one of the things on your mental to-do list, which could lead to a mess of confusion and frustration.

You can prevent forgetfulness by writing down what’s on your daily agenda. That way, you won’t lose track of the tiny tasks that fly right out of your head. Not to mention, checking off tasks on a list just feels good. You might get a sense of accomplishment that motivates you.

So if you want to be one of those people who makes a list, checks it twice, and enjoys the satisfaction of crossing things off it, you can:

  • Create your list as soon as you start work.
  • Decide on a hierarchy (e.g., do you want to order your tasks from most to least important or least to most time-consuming?).
  • Reward yourself when you cross something off (Now I can get that second cup of coffee!).
  • Stay on one task at a time (because multitasking hurts performance).

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4. Invest in the best (technology and tools)

Computer crashing. Speakers not working. Wi-Fi going out. These are just some of the inconveniences workers may deal with when working from home. And let me tell you, nothing snaps you out of a productive state of mind faster than a full-fledged computer shutdown.

Working from home has the potential for technological mishaps. Heck, working anywhere—even your office—has the potential for some. So rather than worrying about tech mishaps, equip your team with the right tools to get the job done.

Make sure your team has the right technology and tools like:

  • Reliable computers
  • A communication platform
  • Cloud storage services
  • High-speed internet
  • Printers

You might give your employees computers that come equipped with access to company accounts (e.g., Google Drive). You can also give employees a work-from-home reimbursement to ensure they have a suitable internet plan for the work they do—and depending on your state, you might have to. A number of states (e.g., California) require employers to reimburse employees for necessary expenses they incur working from home.

Also, consider implementing a process for employees who are having technology issues. For example, you can outline what employees need to do if they need a new computer (who to contact, how to submit a request, etc.).

5. Get into a groove

Need to listen to music? Have to have at least eight hours of sleep? Whatever it takes for you specifically to be productive, do it. Whether you’re working in the office or in your home office, you’re still you. And, you still have to find and get into the groove that makes you productive.

Here are some rituals workers swear by for productivity:

  • Having a morning routine
  • Listening to music
  • Adding plants to the workspace
  • Taking 20-second blink breaks every 20 minutes (if you’re looking at a screen)
  • Exercising consistently and regularly before or after work

Think of your own work-from-home productivity hacks

If you’re part of the 14% that is more productive in an office, take a stroll down memory lane. What did you do differently? You could get a productivity boost from something as easy as getting dressed as if you were going into the office.

RELATED: 10 Entrepreneurs Share Tips for Running a Location Independent Business

Profile: Mike Kappel

Mike Kappel is the founder of Patriot Software, a leading provider of SaaS accounting software and payroll services for businesses and their accountants nationwide. With over 30 years of entrepreneurial experience, Mike knows what business owners face because he's faced it himself. For more information, please visit www.patriotsoftware.com. Follow @PatriotSoftware on Twitter.