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Writer's pictureMartin Herrera

Three Ways to Improve Productivity While Working from Home During the Coronavirus Pandemic


CHALLENGES OF WORKING FROM HOME


As the coronavirus pandemic takes a strong hold, social distancing has become one of the most effective tools for combating its spread, according to health professionals. The requirements of social distancing are leading more and more companies to send people home to work remotely.


Working from home comes with a unique set of challenges. Namely, people may not be as effective as they are at work. Although studies show that productivity can actually go up in remote-work arrangements, it’s not because we aren’t facing the distractions of the office. When we work remotely, we trade office distractions for new types of distractions. And we trade a work-focused environment for a different environment that is likely not designed for work.

Here are three ways to maintain—and even boost—your productivity while working remotely. Use these tips to stay focused during the COVID-19 pandemic or anytime you find yourself working away from the office.

1. MANAGE DISTRACTIONS


When working remotely and/or from home, your distractions will be different than the ones you encountered at the office. Take time to evaluate and create an inventory of the distractions in your work area. Some common ones include:

Family and Children

  • Set and communicate clear boundaries with all family members. Begin with your spouse or significant other – arrange a work schedule together, if possible, and tell them the importance of not being interrupted during those times.

  • Enlist your spouse or partner’s support to communicate boundaries to all others in your home.

  • Teenagers can be easier to manage since they can understand and comply requests to not be interrupted. Even so, try to take a few five-minute breaks during the day to check in with them. This may help minimize their need to interact with you during the day.

  • When it comes to small children and infants, the challenge is greater. If possible, enlist other family members to help. Otherwise, have your small children nearby so you have easy access to them.

  • Schedule your work in small amounts of time, like 10- to 20-minute increments that allow you to focus but also be available to their needs.

Pets

  • If possible, enlist other family members to help out with pets so you can minimize their dependency on you.

  • For pets that require more attention, make sure their food is prepared and provided on a consistent schedule. Same goes for water. Get them accustomed to a feeding routine that fits well with your work schedule.

  • For calls of nature, book specific times in the morning and afternoon when they know they will be taken for a walk or allowed outdoors to relieve themselves.

  • Include your pets in your break times. While on a work break, take your pet with you, spend some time connecting with them, and make them part of your routine with other family members.

Service providers

  • See if you can enlist a family member to help you receive scheduled service providers.

  • Notify all service providers of your situation and set specific time windows when you can be available to receive them and stick to it as much as possible. Some providers will only give you a window of time when they can be at your location, but if you make a special request to limit the window, you’ll be surprised that most providers will do their best to accommodate.

  • For providers that need to spend more time in your home, make sure they have all the resources they need to deliver their service before you begin working.

  • Give them easy access to you via text or phone, even if you are in the same home.

  • Tell them that you will be working close by and checking in frequently.

2. MANAGE YOUR ENVIRONMENT


Offices and workspaces are designed to support people’s ability to focus on work. The same is not always true for your home or remote-work environment. Be aware of the differences and plan to mitigate any impact on your effectiveness. Here are five of the most important areas to address in order to raise your productivity when working from home.


Space

  • Don’t move from room to room while you work – it creates additional distractions.

  • Find a dedicated space that is far away from the kitchen and family room of the home. It may be an actual office within your home, a guest room, or a portion of a bedroom. Try to find a space with a door to reduce interruptions.

  • Your new “office” space should have a firm work surface (preferably a desk), a space for your phone, computer, paperwork and any files.

  • If you don’t have office furniture, create a hard surface to work on that is not connected to other furniture like sofas or beds.

Comfort

  • First, make sure you have the right chair, even if you have to invest in one. A comfortable, ergonomic chair makes a huge difference in your ability to concentrate.

  • Do your best to set your computer height similar to how it is in your office. Use best practices for ergonomics when working from home.

  • Set the thermostat in your home to the temperature that’s best for you. (No more having to endure the freezing temperatures of your office!)

Technology

  • Invest in a powerful broadband Wi-Fi solution. Specific download/upload speeds will depend on file-sharing needs, whether you’ll be participating in virtual meetings, and other considerations. It may be worth checking to see if your employer will help with any costs associated to setting up your home office.

  • Turn off all links and websites that are not related to work. That means no Youtube, Facebook, or dating websites while you work.

  • Same goes for your phone. Limit notifications to those that are work-related.

  • Remove or turn off televisions that may be near your workspace. They can quickly become enduring distractions, as we tend to get pulled into news, programs and movies.


Noise

  • Once you know where you are going to work, spend an hour in that space paying attention to noises that could disrupt or distract you. In some cases, you may be able to eliminate certain noises.

  • Consider investing in noise-canceling headphones if you do not already have a pair.

  • Use reliable headphones with a microphone so you can participate in virtual meetings while minimizing noise for yourself and others online.

  • Close the door to your workspace whenever possible.

  • If working near a noisy road or train thoroughfare, cover the windows with curtains or a bed comforter to cut down on the amount of noise coming into the room.

3. ADAPTING HOW YOU WORK


Because working remotely can be so different from working in an office, you’ll also need to adapt the way you approach your work, particularly how you schedule and use your time throughout the day. Working remotely requires more thought to how you spend each hour of your day. Some ideas for a work-from-home schedule that keeps you productive are:

  • Schedule your day in greater detail. Try 15-minute increments to outline how you’ll spend your time.

  • Divide your schedule between time for virtual meetings, including phone calls, and time for focused work on your own.

  • Schedule meetings so they do not exceed 60 minutes. Thirty minutes is even better. This is different than what you may be used to at the office, but virtual meetings require a different approach.

  • Schedule frequent breaks. This may be as often as every 30 minutes, and you shouldn’t go more than 60 minutes without a break. This allows you time not only for yourself, but to tend to family, children, pets and others requiring your attention.

  • Ask yourself if you need an assistant and how you’ll connect with them throughout the day.



Here is an example of an effective work-from-home schedule:

8:00 am – 8:50 am Solo time for checking morning emails and voicemails

8:50 am – 9:00 am Break

9:00 am – 9:50 am Solo time for focused work

9:50 am – 10:00 am Break

10:00 am – 10:30 am Virtual Meeting

10:30 am – 11:00 am Virtual Meeting

11:00 am – 11:15 am Break

11:15 am – 12:00 pm Virtual Meeting

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm – 1:30 pm Virtual Meeting

1:30 pm – 2:00 pm Virtual Meeting

2:00 pm – 2:15 pm Break

2:15 pm – 3:15 pm Virtual Meeting

3:15 pm – 3:30 pm Break

3:30 pm – 4:00 pm Solo time for focused work

4:00 pm – 4:10 pm Break

4:10 pm – 5:00 pm Solo time for focused work

Notice that a total of two hours and 15 minutes are dedicated to breaks. That may be more than you are used to at the office; however, break time is important for your ability to focus, as well as for managing other personal needs throughout your day. The exact amount you spend on breaks will differ based on your individual situation. People living alone can more easily dedicate time to work and for longer stretches. Parents with kids at home may need more frequent breaks.

Also notice the defined blocks for virtual meetings and solo work. The split between solo work and team meetings will differ based on the type of work you are performing. Use this sample as a guide to help you reflect on the right schedule for your situation.

The bottom line is that in order to be more productive working remotely, you may need to take more breaks and clearly and cleanly schedule your time between virtual meetings and focused work. Trying to mix the two is difficult to manage and will lower productivity for most people.

TAKE STEPS TO MAXIMIZE PRODUCTIVITY WHILE WORKING REMOTELY


To maximize productivity, take time to consider the space, schedule and tools that best suit you, your personality, your work approach and your work requirements. Work with your employer to establish expectations and to seek additional support creating a successful work-from-home arrangement.

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