Improve Productivity In Telecommuting : Maintaining the expected performance in new work environments is one of the main challenges for companies and professionals.
In recent years, the concepts of “work” and “home” have come closer and closer. Home office work is here to stay and is currently the main form of employment for many people who work independently or for third parties. Undoubtedly, one of the main reasons is the world situation due to the coronavirus, but this is not the only “culprit”.
Telecommuting and home office are perfect models for many businesses and professionals. However, maintaining the expected performance in these circumstances is not always easy due to the many distractions at home.
Give Yourself The Right Space And Have The Right Attitude
The first piece of advice is to choose a suitable place to work: a well-defined space where one goes to work and does not rest or sleep (no squatting in bed or on the sofa), which favors concentration. The ideal is an exclusive room or a part of the house without much traffic that, as far as possible, follows the usual recommendations in terms of ergonomics, lighting, and temperature and that is suitable for video conferences and virtual meetings.
In terms of attitude, taking a shower before or after, and changing our clothes to “go to work” or when we finish the day, is a good way to make our brain understand when it is time to start or end (although not need to wear a suit, working in pajamas is usually not a good idea).
Establish Routines: Teleworking Gives More Freedom, But Greater Responsibilities
Well-defined routines are key to efficient telecommuting. To avoid getting out of control, a freelancer or flextime professional needs to set a time to start and end work, and try to make it a habit. Of course, unforeseen events will arise, but this does not mean that we should give up planning. Being able to manage our own time gives us more freedom, but also greater responsibilities and, in this sense, we must establish priorities, organize housework, work and leisure well, and also respect the deadlines and schedules of the rest of the company. or our clients.
Run Away From Distractions
This is one of the most difficult points in teleworking since at home there are always many more distractions than in an office. When working alone, we tend to spend more time on our mobile or visiting this website that has nothing to do with work and that will make us lose concentration. One way to avoid this is to turn off the notifications when you start working and set small pauses to review the received messages. It is also very useful to warn the other occupants of the house that they need to respect your space and work time.
Learn To Prioritize
Although in teleworking one can manage their time much more freely, it is very important to prioritize urgent tasks, set deadlines, respect them, and communicate with whoever is necessary if the agreed deadline is going to be missed. It is also important to advance all the tasks that you can, to prevent possible breaches due to unforeseen events. Finally, it is key to avoid multitasking, or trying to do more than one can, to ensure quality and effective work.
Take Advantage Of Available Technologies
New technologies are a key aid for more productive teleworking, facilitating communication, and with tools that allow you to avoid distractions. If we classify the enemies of teleworking, procrastination would occupy the first place. It feeds on notifications outside work, a chat with the family, a purchase that arrives at any time, or a nap after hours.. To avoid them, we have a whole series of applications available to silence the mobile, to have a routine more productive using techniques such as “Pomodoro”, to better prioritize or that notify us of pending tasks and meetings, which used intelligently, are an ally of productivity.
Share The Agenda With The Rest Of The People
If in an office all the people are in tune with a common purpose, at home it is not like that and it is important that all the people living together respect the time and space of the person who teleworks. The best way to achieve this is by establishing clear rules, sharing the agenda, and also giving advance notice of the times when more silence is needed, such as during a meeting.
Know When It’s Time To Stop
Last but not least: know when to stop! People who telecommute must respect their body and mind, avoiding stress, with physical activities such as walks, exercises, or online classes, and know that at one hour the computer must be turned off and they must get away from work for a few hours. Leisure is an excellent way to relax the mind and increase productivity, which will keep you motivated the next day. A good way to take occasional breaks is also to change activities, go to other rooms in the house, talk for a while or entertain yourself with any domestic task.
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