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Planning on working from home? You’re among the emerging trend of remote workers
who work from their home office. Nextiva has provided businesses with robust communication solutions for more than 12 years. We have enabled thousands of companies to scale their remote working staff—so we’ve seen what works and what doesn’t.
1) Build a Permanent Work SpaceThe first step in your “work from home” journey is to designate an area of your home, specifically for getting work done. 2) Invest in Quality TechnologyYes, setting up a home office or workspace may require a small investment. Much like starting a new business, you may have to purchase technology, such as a desktop, laptop, tablet, or remote phone system to do your
job every day. 3) Get Comfortable Office FurnitureYou may also need to invest in office furniture if you haven’t already. Depending on the amount of space available, consider purchasing a large desk, bookshelves, and a comfortable office chair. 4) Set Real Work HoursNow that you have your office or work area set up, it’s time to get down to business
— literally. If you are going to make working from home an everyday commitment, then set specific business or work hours. 5) Avoid Work CreepA career that lets you work from home can be invasive in your personal life. This is because if you are always home and near your work, then
your work creeps into your home life. Yes, the risk is real, but only if you let it. 6) Discover Your High Productivity PeriodsImage courtesy: Evernote Every individual is most productive at different times of the day. For example, some individuals are morning people, and they are most productive and focused during the morning hours. For others, their most productive
time in the workday is the evenings. 7) Update Your To-Do List Every MorningsImage courtesy: Todoist When working from home and you don’t have a boss breathing down your neck, it can be challenging to keep track of what you have to do throughout your workday. It’s easy to lose sight of priorities, tasks, and deadlines. 8) Use a PlannerIn addition to making to-do lists, get into the habit of
using a calendar or planner. For example, if you work from home some days but you are on the road others, get in the habit of using a planner to write down and keep track of deadlines, appointments, and meetings. 9) Stick to One Project Management AppIf you aren’t a “write-it-down” to-do list or planner person, don’t worry—there are plenty of modern project management apps available that can still help you. These are great if you are WFH.
Most of these apps offer both web-based and mobile versions so that you can use them on your phone. Some can even be integrated with other apps, such as Cospace, for team collaboration. And the best part? Most of these apps offer a free version. 10) Don’t Work in Your PJsWe know — this is one reason why people love working from home. If you enjoy working in your PJs, then you are killing your productivity. “Dress for success” isn’t just a corporate catchphrase; it really matters when you work from home. 11) Don’t Work in the Living RoomThis is another productivity killer. Some folks might think “working from home” is a day to
binge Netflix. Wrong. It might be fine to indulge in this vice once, but it will catch up to you if you’re not careful. 12) Develop a Morning RoutineAnother enjoyable perk of working from home is not having to get up, rush out of the house, and
commute to an office. 13) Set Multiple AlarmsEven if you don’t have to be up as early to leave for the office, you should still set an alarm to commit to wake up at the same time. This will prevent you from sleeping in too late and will keep you on a healthy sleep schedule. 14) Exercise & Stretch RegularlyExercise naturally boosts endorphins, which increases happiness,
enjoyment, and interest levels, all of which are important for productivity. 15) Eat Healthy Meals & SnacksAnother work from home reality is that we have full access to the kitchen. So, when it’s time for lunch or a snack break, we are immediately drawn to the usual snacks, such as chips, cookies, or leftover pizza. When we work in an office, we are at the mercy of whatever is available in the cafeteria or whatever lunch we brought from home. However, research has shown that eating fruits and vegetables has a direct link on overall productivity levels. You can also avoid buying unhealthy snacks altogether. With extra planning, you can purchase more nutritional snacks on Amazon rather than buying on impulse. Reward yourself with a sweet snack on Friday after a successful and productive week. If you are an avid snacker, then make it a point to make yourself a healthy lunch, just as you would if you had to go into an office. 16) Take Short BreaksAlthough we have focused most of this article on how to stay productive while working from home, sometimes the opposite can happen. We think that by working from home, we will be able to get more
done because there will be fewer distractions. Therefore, sometimes we end up over-committing and working too much, which also kills productivity. 17) Create a Rewards SystemWe mentioned using a rewards system in the point above. This is an easy way to help you get things done — even the things you have been procrastinating or putting off. 18) Use Time Management AppsIf you struggle with staying on task while working from home, then you may need to kick things up a notch and use a time management app.
Using a time tracker app will help you see your productivity levels each day and week. This will not only provide you with insight as to when you are most productive during the day, but it will also show you how much time you spend on each task. 19) Stay Off Social MediaI think we can agree that we are all guilty of this one from time to time. Social media can be a giant time-suck if you aren’t careful. 20) Listen to MusicDepending
on the nature of your work, it helps to turn on some background music. Spotify is a great streaming service that lets you pick moods for focus and productivity. Since you’re working at home, you don’t want it too loud or distracting — ensure you can quickly mute it to take a business call. 21) Step OutsideSince you’ll be cooped up indoors to work, many of us often forget that there’s an outside world out there. Open some windows to let sunlight in and take some time throughout your day to go outside – at least to your patio or backyard. 22) Use Video ChatYes, the video conference—the hallmark of remote work. Working from home can get pretty lonely, especially if you are single or live alone. Make it a point to chat with colleagues, team members, or clients each day.
Depending on the nature of your work, you could end up spending almost all of your day on video conferences chatting with your team. We recommend working in a well-lit room; it brings out your best features. 23) Hack Your Lunch Break for ErrandsIf you’re working from home each day, you’ll often find that you have some additional flexibility in your time. Even then, you might feel tethered to your home. 24) Avoid Family, Friends & PetsThis can be difficult, especially if you have young children at home, or have multiple pets, all of whom want your attention. If you are home all day, every day, then family and friends might interrupt you without knowing better. 25) Create a Vision BoardIf you have been working from home for several years, it might eventually become boring and uninspiring. You might struggle with enjoying your work. A
vision board can help. 26) Check in With Co-Workers FrequentlyTake the time to meet with your team regularly. The meetings should have an agenda actively involving all members, so they contribute. Dedicate time to meet privately with each member so
they can share status updates, receive coaching, and discuss developments from their personal life. 27) Declare Your WFH AvailabilityFor the employee who works from home, they’re aware of their availability, but colleagues might not be. Given the sea of tools to work remotely and collaborate, it can be challenging for your team to stay in touch. Keep your team informed about your work-at-home schedule, key projects, and methods to get in contact with you. 28) Assume Positive IntentOne limitation of working from home is that team chat messaging sometimes falls short of expressing ideas clearly. It’s easy to think a
quick remark was made to be rude or even flippant. 29) Connect With Your Team OffsiteFor companies that are all-in on building a remote team, they will soon encounter a strong interest in meeting as a team throughout the year. One way to do this is a remote team offsite. Make it impactful
and meaningful to forge and strengthen relationships. 30) Invest in a Good Pair of HeadphonesEven if you have a brand new laptop or a new smartphone, you will want to invest in a quality pair of headphones with a
mic. Noise-canceling features can really help improve the clarity of your phone calls. With modern virtual phone systems, you will appreciate the higher fidelity of your calls. 31) Stay Vigilant Against Security RisksJust because you’re not in the office doesn’t mean you’re not a target for hackers. Your work machine is incredibly valuable for thieves and criminals, so take care to work securely.
Don’t slack off on your duty to keep your home office equipment secure. Understand how to protect yourself from common security threats. 32) Use Professional Communication ToolsYou might be using free tools to communicate with your team today. The SaaS market has capitalized on the freemium model to upgrade to paid plans. The problem with personal apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and
Google Hangouts — as an aggregate — is they don’t necessarily improve internal communication. Why Working From Home is Critically Important to Every BusinessBelieve it or not, but working from home is quite common with nearly 40% of companies offering positions to work-at-home. Related: Pros & Cons of Working From Home vs. Working in an Office What kind of work I can do from home?15 Work From Home Jobs That Are Hiring Now. Administrative assistant.. Consultant.. Customer Service Representative.. Data Entry Clerk.. Digital Marketing Specialist.. Occupational Therapist.. Proofreader.. Registered Nurse.. What do I need to work from home?At a bare minimum, most people will need reliable high-speed internet, a computer, and a phone to work from home. Some remote jobs require certain upload and download speeds, typically anywhere between five and 15 MBPS, and will usually include those requirements in the job description.
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