Did you know that working from home presents just as many distractions as working in the office? Adjusting from your usual office environment to bringing your work home is not easy. It should be a place for relaxation, and now even work has to be done there too.
Having a work-life balance is what we all aimed for. Yet, how can we achieve that when working from home seems like invading our personal space? Time management is the answer.
Time Management
Working from home gives you more freedom when to do what. No need to worry whether you woke up 10 or 20 minutes late, no more commute, and no need to fuss over make-up or what clothes to wear. However, those can be a disadvantage as well.
Having a flexible working time makes you lax, and as a result, can make you work longer than you should have. According to a survey conducted by JDP, 77% of the 2,038 Americans said they are working different hours from home than they would at the office and that 66% are likely to work nights and weekends than before.
The transition from working in the office to home is challenging. However, as time passes by and as you apply these tips on how you can manage your time properly, working from home will be a fun and exciting experience.
Plan your schedule
Working in the office helps you get distracted with household chores or other personal matters. However, you can’t escape chores, and childcare when you are working at home. To prevent yourself from getting carried away with doing things other than work, plan your schedule ahead of time.
When planning your schedule, use a paper planner to organize your day, week, or month. Saving your schedule on your phone might be convenient, but writing it down on a planner will help you remember it better. You can try time blocking, a method of planning wherein you plan out every moment of your day in advance and dedicating specific time for certain tasks and responsibilities.
StriveZen weekly planner can help you do time blocking easily. It has a 15-minute slot for your appointments, hourly bookings and weekly planning.
Time blocking helps you be more productive, and at the same time keeps your focus on a single task.
Make your own workspace
Another thing that can help you adjust to working from home is by designating a space where you can work. It should be far from distraction, away from the living room, kitchen, just somewhere in your house that your kids and husband don’t go often.
Limit social media
One of the things that can throw you off your work mode is social media. The moment you start to check on a notification, you will find yourself glued on your phone. As much as possible, when working, put your phone at a distance from you’re workspace.