How to Work Effectively from Home: 8 Game-Changing Tips

Throughout the years, more and more people have been choosing the remote work life. The sudden impact of the COVID-19 outbreak fast-tracked this shift, most businesses were forced to shift operations and go digital, making more people work from home. 

But hustling at the comforts of your own space isn't simple since you still carry the same amount (or even more) of responsibility as you would in a traditional office space. When done right, working from home can give you tons of benefits, such as improved performance and productivity, better work-life balance, and business continuity. 

Since businesses are recognizing the benefits of remote work, it's safe to say that we'll most likely experience an increase in work from home employees. And if you fall under this bubble, it's time that you make necessary adjustments with how you work to work effectively at home. 

If you're ready, here's our handy guide that will teach you how to work from home effectively. Let's dive in!

1. Have a designated workspace

One of the biggest challenges of working from home is maintaining your work-life balance. To separate your personal life from work, convert a space in your home and turn it into your workspace. You could turn an old desk to your workspace, or if you have an extra room, you can transform the unutilized area into an office. 

Regardless of the space and location, establishing a designated work area will help you focus on your tasks for the day and help you log out of work and focus on your personal life right after. Here’s a tip: Check out our previous article on how to design a healthy home office that will help boost your productivity. 

2. Invest in high-quality technology

When you're setting up a home office, you'll need to invest in a few things. Unlike a typical office setup where most of your devices will be provided, you may need to purchase your own desktop, laptop, tablet, or other devices that will help you do your job. Besides that, you should invest in a high-bandwidth router since you'll be relying heavily on a stable internet connection to communicate with your team and clients.  

3. Purchase comfortable office furniture

One of the cons of working at home is that you may not have the right type of office furniture that you can use to help you stay comfortable while working. 

Depending on the amount of space you have, consider buying a bigger desk, an ergonomic office chair, a better monitor, and even a keyboard. Additionally, you may want to purchase a standing desk setup, such as MOVI Lite, to help correct your posture and boost productivity while you work from home. 

When you're picking office furniture, your main objective is to ensure that you're comfortable and you can do this by purchasing ergonomic furniture and equipment to help you work effectively. 

4. Set boundaries and have strict work hours

Another factor that you need to be disciplined about when you work from home is your boundaries and work schedule. Since working from home is now a new commitment for you, you need to take care of your well-being and stop yourself when you're starting to feel like it's taking a toll on your mental space. 

The best way to deal with this is by setting boundaries and having a strict "work only" schedule. Fortunately, working from home gives you more flexibility. So if you're more productive in the morning, set a 7 am to 3 pm schedule for work, and then after that, you can begin to unwind and rest.

Following this type of schedule will keep your headspace in check, as well as your overall well being. This is a great way to develop effective remote work productivity since you're giving yourself the right balance of work and rest.  

5. Update your to-do lists

Time management is a vital skill when it comes to working at home, especially since you don't have other team members or boss breathing down your neck. With that, it can be quite challenging to keep up with your workload for the day, making you lose sight of priorities, tasks, and worse, deadlines. 

To help you manage your tasks, it's best to create a to-do list before you go to bed or when you wake up in the morning. This way, you'll have an overview of the things you need to accomplish and you know which tasks are of high priority. 

A helpful method is writing down three important high priority tasks and ensuring that you tick them all off before working on the easier and less urgent orders. This way, you won't feel the burden throughout the day, and you'll be able to flow through your to-do list with much ease. 

6. Avoid being too comfortable

When you're at home, you might be tempted to work in your pajamas, on the bed, or the couch. This can greatly affect how you work and throw you off, giving you a wrong mindset when you work. 

So before you begin working, get out of your pyjamas, fix your bed and stay away from distractions. When you work in the right behaviour and mindset, you'll always put in your best effort and be more productive.

7. Create a routine

To stay on track while you work at home, it's best to establish a routine. Depending on the time you're most productive, start creating your routine from there. 

Begin your day by waking up early, taking a shower, prepare your coffee and breakfast, and even squeeze in a few minutes of meditation to get you in the zone. Besides having a schedule, consider creating a few alarms on your phone that will remind you to drink water and stretch to improve your body's function and avoid developing health conditions in the future. 

8. Develop a healthier lifestyle

Since you'll be staying at home, you may start to notice that your body may not be getting enough movement it needs. When you don't move your body, you put yourself at risk for various health conditions. 

It's essential to find time in your day to squeeze in a quick sweat sesh to increase your endorphins, improve blood circulation, and develop better posture. Besides doing workouts, make sure that you still eat healthily, and you don't succumb to stress eating. When you're busy at home, chances are you aren't conscious about what you eat.

A fantastic way to deal with this is by creating a meal plan before you start the week so you have an overview of the meals you'll have every day. This will ensure that you're getting enough nutrients your body needs to function. 

The Bottom Line: Improvements in Remote Work Productivity Starts With You

Working from home is a big adjustment, especially if you're used to an office setting, but it isn't impossible to have a smooth transition at home. By following these tips, you'll improve remote work productivity and get more things done effectively and efficiently. 

Are you thinking of having a standing desk setup at home?

Setting up your home office can be a thrilling experience, and of course, you want to make sure that you have the best furniture and equipment to boost your productivity. MOVI Workspace offers various ergonomic and work-friendly products, such as an electric standing desk, monitor arms, comfort mats, and more to help improve the way you work. Start building your standing desk setup today!