Best Tips for Working from Home | How to Maximize Productivity and Comfort

Summary

The video provides 19 tips for working productively from home, beginning with dedicating a workspace and enforcing an inbox policy to reduce distractions. It advises communicating expectations clearly, getting proper equipment, staying organized, and maintaining boundaries. Other tips include flexibility, scheduling via calendar, time blocking for tasks, finding a support network, outsourcing where possible, simplifying tasks, streamlining chores, using auto-reply messages to set availability, practicing mindfulness, exercising regularly, seeking professional advice when needed, and allowing small perks like a good coffee machine.

Takeaways

• 😀 Maintain a dedicated workspace separate from other home areas
• 📬 Enforce a zero inbox policy to stay organized
• 📵 Close email inbox and turn off notifications to focus better
• 🗣️ Communicate clearly with team to set expectations
• 💻 Use suitable equipment for your work needs
• 📆 Be organized in all aspects of life
• ⏰ Set clear work hour boundaries
• 📅 Stay flexible but meet deadlines
• 🗓️ Use calendars to schedule everything
• ⏱️ Time block for personal and business tasks
• 👥 Surround yourself with a supportive tribe

Q & A

What is the first tip for being productive when working from home?

The first tip is to maintain a separate workspace, whether a dedicated office you can shut the door to or just a desk in your living area configured to help you work effectively.

How can you reduce distractions from your email inbox?

Enforce a zero email inbox policy by responding to or filing emails in designated blocks rather than letting them pile up. You can also close your email inbox and turn off notifications when working on important documents.

Why is communication especially important when working remotely?

When you don't have much face-to-face contact, communicating clearly and frequently with your team, staff and clients is key to making sure everyone is on the same page regarding expectations.

What equipment considerations are important for an at-home workspace?

Make sure your equipment suits your needs technologically and ergonomically. This includes having the right software, temperature control, a quality headset for calls, and a strong internet connection.

How can being organized help integrate your work and home life?

Steps like preparing meals ahead of time and laying out clothes the night before can help your mornings, evenings and afternoons run more smoothly when working from home.

Why establish clear boundaries with separate start and finish times?

Having firm work hours disciplines you to focus, much like working in a traditional office. It also prevents household chores from eating into work time.

What's the benefit of flexibility in setting your hours?

As long as you communicate with your team, flexibility in hours allows you to attend to personal needs and shift blocks of time as necessary to when you are most productive.

How can you plan your time effectively working from home?

Use an electronic or paper calendar to schedule everything - personal and work items. Most productive people map out their upcoming week in detail each Monday.

What does it mean to "find your tribe"?

Surround yourself with a network of people who fully support you and your goals. Connect with like-minded individuals at events or organizations for help and encouragement.

Why is it important to take care of your health and well-being?

Practices like regular exercise, meditation, and positive thinking equip you to handle bad days and refocus when working alone for long stretches.

Outlines

00:00

😊 19 Tips for Working Effectively from Home

The first paragraph provides 19 practical tips for being productive when working from home, including having a dedicated workspace, enforcing a zero inbox policy, avoiding email interruptions, communicating expectations clearly with teams, getting suitable equipment, staying organized, time blocking, finding support networks, outsourcing tasks, keeping things simple, balancing family life, using auto-reply messages to manage availability, practicing mindfulness, exercising regularly, seeking professional advice when needed, and investing in good coffee.

05:02

😃 Remember Self-Care and Enjoy Working from Home

The second paragraph concludes by emphasizing the importance of self-care when working remotely, recommending scheduling occasional lunches out to avoid monotony. It summarizes that with the right tips, working from home can be productive and fun.

Keywords

💡workspace

A dedicated workspace is an important component for working productively from home. The video recommends having a separate workspace like a home office that can be shut off from the rest of the house. This establishes clear boundaries between work and personal life. A workspace can also simply be a desk in a living area that is set up effectively.

💡inbox

Keeping email inbox clear by regularly responding to or filing emails is important. The video suggests enforcing a 'zero inbox policy' where you clear your inbox at designated times daily. This reduces feeling overwhelmed by pending tasks.

💡notifications

Turning off email and other notifications when doing focused work like drafting documents helps minimize interruptions and distractions. You can better control flow of messages rather than letting devices dictate.

💡equipment

Having suitable equipment increases efficiency when working remotely. This includes software, devices, furniture and environmental controls. For example - graphics designer needs editing software, telephone conferences require good headset.

💡organized

Being organized in all aspects of life integrates work and personal life smoothly when working from home. For example - preparing meals, kids bags in advance daily. It helps streamline mornings, evenings.

💡boundaries

Maintaining clear boundaries between work and personal life by having set work hours prevents work from overflowing into personal time. For example - Firm start and finish time for work daily.

💡flexible

Flexibility in work hours helps integrate work and home life. Based on deadlines, one can adjust hours. For example - Long lunch break for personal work but late evening work hours.

💡calendar

Maintaining calendar with all work deadlines, personal appointments mapped out is essential for organization. Planning full week in advance is recommended.

💡time blocking

Time blocking involves reserving calendar time for focused work on business or personal tasks. It helps create realistic expectations, availability.

💡outsource

Outsourcing or delegating some tasks to others allows better focus on high value tasks that build business and profile. For example - bookkeeping can be outsourced.

Highlights

Maintain a separate workspace to clearly define work and home boundaries

Enforce a zero email inbox policy to reduce time spent on tasks

Keep email inbox closed to avoid interruptions when working on large documents

Communicate effectively to establish expectations when working remotely

Get suitable equipment to prevent technology and ergonomic roadblocks

Be organized to better integrate work and home life

Have firm work hours and boundaries like a traditional office

Stay flexible with work hours while meeting deadlines

Schedule everything to plan weeks in advance

Time block tasks to create realistic expectations

Surround yourself with a supportive network and tribe

Outsource tasks that others can do more effectively

Keep processes simple instead of overcomplicating

Streamline household chores and get family involved

Use out of office messages to set availability expectations

Transcripts

in today's video we'll learn the best

tips for working from home working from

home can be unproductive for most people

thanks to the many distractions around

the house these tips will make you 10

times more productive when working from

home tip one maintain a separate

workspace ensure you have a dedicated

workspace for some people this can be a

downstairs office they can shut the door

to their office during the evenings and

on weekends helping them clearly Define

their work and home

boundaries however a workspace can just

as easily be a desk in your living area

so long as it is configured in a way

that allows you to be your most

effective tip two enforce a zero email

inbox policy clear your inbox by

responding to or filing emails and

blocks at designated times so you are

not overwhelmed by the tasks in your

inbox this tip has the added advantage

of reducing the amount of time you spend

on a task tip three keep your email

inbox closed and turn off notifications

when working on drafting or reviewing a

large document it it is preferable to

focus and not be interrupted by email

notifications from your phone or other

devices keep control over your devices

and the flow of email replies rather

than letting other people and devices

dictate the flow of your day tip four

communicate effectively ensure you

communicate with your team staff and

clients frequently and clearly to

establish

expectations this tip is particularly

important when you do not have much

face-to-face contact or work with a

business partner everybody is so much

more efficient when they are on the same

page tip five get the right equipment

ensure your equipment is both

technologically and ergonomically

suitable for your needs for example you

need the correct software if you are a

freelance graphic designer or

photographer if you work in a hot or

cold climate ensure you can regulate

your temperature comfortably if you rely

on technology such as Skype or telephone

conferences have a good quality headset

and an adequate internet connection to

prevent roadblocks to your

Communications with your clients and

team tip six be organized the more

organized all aspects of your life are

the better you can integrate your work

and home lives some people prepare

dinner and their kids lunch and set out

their school uniform for the following

day each lunchtime during a break from

their desks this tip will help your

afternoons evenings and mornings run

more smoothly tip seven enforce and

maintain clear boundaries be disciplined

have a firm start and finish time each

day as if you were working in a

traditional office if you plan to

undertake some household chores such as

dinner pre-preparation separate them to

ensure that they are discrete tasks

built into your day so it does not

snowball into mopping the floor and

putting the washing out tip eight stay

flexible subject to any deadlines

maintaining flexibility and autonomy

over work hours is important for example

you may schedule a long lunch break to

attend a function but work between 4:00

p.m. and 8:00 p.m. this tip works well

if you communicate your hours to your

team and clients tip nine keep a

calendar whether it is electronic or an

old school paper diary schedule

everything in your calendar personal

appointments work deadlines and even me

time should all be entered most affected

people plan their weeks in advance

usually on a Sunday or Monday and log on

first thing in the morning to check

emails and plan the small and large

tasks of the day tip 10 practice time

blocking scheduling time in your diary

for personal and business task can be

achieved by time blocking in advance

this tip will help you create realistic

expectations and establish availability

for work tip 11 find your tribe surround

yourself with people who believe in you

fully endorse you and support your goals

the added benefit of finding your tribe

is you have a network of like-minded

people to ask for help when needed find

this tribe at networking events like

business chicks the mother's Den or

other similar local or online

organizations tip 12 Outsource tasks

whenever appropriate do not attempt to

be a superhero and be all things to

everyone Outsource or delegate tasks

that others can do more effectively such

as bookkeeping and focus on the tasks

that energize you or will continue to

build your business or profile tip 13

keep things simple keep things simple is

a mantra that will put you in good stead

in life and work over complicating

things makes your life more difficult

why take 10 steps to complete a task

when you can complete it in two steps

with the same outcome modern technology

can help you achieve Simplicity when

used correctly tip 14 juggling Family

Life work out ways you can streamline

your household chores you will need to

go shopping create a meal plan freeze

meals and do laundry some people set out

their clothes and their children's

clothes and pack lunches the day before

to ensure the day gets off to a smooth

start if your partner does not help

around the house get them involved in

the routine or look at Outsourcing some

tasks if income allows support at home

is crucial remember you can't do

everything all the time tip 15 use your

outof office message if you work

part-time or are available each day

during Limited hours use your email

outof office signature to let clients

and your team know your hours and manage

expectations regarding when you will

respond to their emails always offer an

alternate contact where possible for any

urgent matters tip 16 be mindful by

practicing meditation being mindful and

in a generally positive frame of mind

will help you when you are spending

large chunks of time alone I am not

saying you won't have bad days some days

will be difficult no matter where or how

you work the key is learning how to deal

with them as a remote worker because you

are physically alone much of the day

techniques that assist you in reframing

and refocusing a situation or event to

stop things from being blown out of

proportion are invaluable tip 17 do

regular exercise ensure you care for

your health and well-being schedule

regular exercise it will make you

energetic active and productive tip 18

always seek professional advice whether

you are self-employed or an employee

professional advice is a must if you are

starting your own business get the right

legal framework from the outset with

terms and conditions and any Online

Marketplace policies lastly tip 19

install a great coffee machine just

because you don't work in a traditional

office environment ment doesn't mean you

should miss out on all the perks if you

like good coffee invest in a coffee

machine if you enjoy lunch out

occasionally schedule a lunch date with

a friend or colleague to break the

monotony remember self-care is very

important that's it working from home

can be productive and fun using the

right tips and in case you are wondering

what these right tips are watch this

video again