When you work from home, you have more flexibility. Some intrinsic motivation is essential to make the best use of it. No one is looking over your shoulder to check your performance. There are some basics you need to have in place to make sure you are well-organized and Productive.

Don’t hesitate to ask for what you need

You need to set a precedent early on that you will ask for what you need to get the job done. Some of what you need will include:

• Office furniture and equipment: You will need a desk, chair, computer and possibly a printer: Find out whether the company has a budget for this. Many of them do because they know that having ergonomic furniture and the right equipment will make you more productive.

• The right technology: You don’t want your system to crash or have a weak connection when you’re in an important Meeting. If you’re taking forever to connect, it could be due to poor internet connectivity, outdated software or problems with hardware. It’s vital to use the right technology when you work from home.

To keep your system running perfectly, you don't need deep technical knowledge. Some basic know-how goes a long way in this regard. Some more recommendations about what you may need to ask when working remotely include how to keep your computer secure and how to make sure it’s working optimally. If it’s running too slowly, it will hinder your productivity.

Maintain regular hours

Sticking to regular work hours helps you to maintain a better work/life balance. Stretching out your work hours encroaches on your family and relaxation time. You can’t sustain this for long periods. Automatic time-tracking apps can help you to keep to your schedule, but you can also do the following:

• Set your alarm for the same time as when you had to go into the office.
• Establish a morning routine where you start work at the same time every morning.
• Set a timer for the end of the work day and switch off your laptop when it kicks in.

Establish a morning routine

Not having to commute will give you more time in the mornings before you need to start work. You may have time to fit in a short exercise session before you start. Hopping into the shower afterwards and drinking a cup of coffee may signal to your body that it’s time to kick off your workday. Otherwise, you may find you settle down even later to start work than when you had to commute. A prompt start in the Morning without any procrastination is important if you want to be the most productive.

Make sure you have a dedicated workspace

In an ideal world, you would have a room you can use as a dedicated office and a computer for work use, and another for personal use. However, this is not always realistic. You may have to work in a corner of your living room and use a single laptop.

You must at least dedicate a desk or table space and some peripherals to use only for work. The more small points of distinction you can make between work time and personal time, the better. It helps your brain to identify when you’re off the clock.

Set ground rules with family members

Your children can cause distractions and disruptions when you’re trying to work. For example, they may interrupt an important meeting when they come home from school. It’s important to make it clear when they can interrupt you and when they can’t.

If you and your partner both work from home, you may have to negotiate quiet times, meeting times, childcare and other tasks. Knowing that the other person has a meeting can help you to plan around it. If you are expected to take on certain tasks just because you are working from home, it can affect your ability to get your work done.

Plan your day

There are many tasks you usually need to do during your working hours. It will help to identify the hours when you are most productive. For some people, this is between 9 am and 11 am in the morning. For others, it may be in the evening when the children have gone to bed. When you have this information, you can protect these hours and use them to do your most critical and demanding work.

Using a to-do list or planner can have many advantages:

• As you complete tasks, you can check them off the list. This shows that you are making progress and can give you a feeling of accomplishment.
• When you finish one task, you immediately know what to tackle next.
  You can keep track of meetings, appointments and deadlines. This helps you to stay accountable.
• You can share with colleagues when you are available or unavailable for conversations or questions they may have.

Schedule breaks

If you want to be productive, you need to take regular breaks to give your mind and body time to recharge. If you spend most of your time working on a computer, you need to have time to rest your eyes and stretch your muscles. There are many apps you can use to schedule work time and breaks.

• Try to stand up and move around at least once an hour to get your blood circulating.
• Take longer breaks where you can go outside for some fresh air.
• Exercise in the early morning before work or take a 30-minute break in the morning or afternoon for a quick walk, run or cycle.

Look for training and learning opportunities

When you work from home, it’s helpful to do online training courses to improve your skills or develop new skills. Your employer may have specific videos and online resources you can use. Otherwise, there are plenty of online resources where you can find yourself learning plenty of skills, such as business or software skills.

Make your voice heard

When you work from home, you will have to take part in conference calls and video conferences. You should feel comfortable about speaking up and making your concerns heard. If you’re unafraid to ask questions, your work won’t suffer because of something you don’t understand.

Socialize with colleagues

Feeling disconnected and isolated can often happen when you work from home. This can hinder your productivity. If you have a social channel in a team messaging app, like Slack, make sure you use it to talk about common interests or to organize to meet up with colleagues who live near you. An online coffee date or online book club meeting may be all you need to feel more connected. Your company may have a strong culture and actively encourage socializing. If not, you will have to be more proactive about nurturing relationships.

Conclusion

The flexibility of working from home gives you a chance to become even more productive than you were in the office. You can be more productive if you ask for what you need, work in an organized way, avoid distractions and take breaks. It’s an opportunity to live a more balanced life that supports your overall well-being. When you take care of your physical and mental health while working from home, you have the best chance of increasing your productivity.