Working from home? Six suggestions to make you more productive.

Drawing on my experience of conducting a job search from home back in 1992, I sent these suggestions to my sales staff as they started working from home on March 23. Maybe the advice will help you if you are currently working from home or contemplating it.

1. Continue your regular routines in the morning
Get up at the same time (or close to it), shower, shave and dress as if you were heading out the door to Centriworks.

2. Structure Your Day
Create a plan for each day. Go back to the Franklin-Covey training days and make a list of what you want to achieve and experience the flow of endorphins as you check the items that you completed during the day. The better your plan for the day, the less likely you’ll be to get distracted.

3. Work from a space that helps, not hinders, your work efforts
If you do not already have a home office, find an area that you can work from that helps minimize distractions. Have all of your tools within easy reach and keep it clean, uncluttered, and comfortable.

4. Set ground rules with everyone who shares your home
Your family, loved ones, children, or other people should understand that you have a job to do. Make sure they support you when you are working. You don’t want to have people continually interrupting you or distracting you while you are trying to do your job.

5. Keep In Touch With Your Team
Whether it’s during your scheduled breaks, or for asking questions, it’s incredibly beneficial to keep in touch with the team. It is good to make sure your manager is kept up to date with what you’re doing and achieving. Also, it’s good to just talk to people! It can get very lonely working remotely. There is no exciting office atmosphere; it’s just you and your laptop.

6. Schedule regular breaks
We know that you will not be working continuously, so build break times and child attention time into your daily plan at set intervals. Take a proper break to help your mind and body relax and recharge. Try and take the full time for each break, whether it’s 5 minutes, 15 minutes, or an hour.
 
— J. Mark DeNicola /// Centriworks CFO/Executive Director, Sales + Marketing

We’re ready to help you work smarter.