How to avoid distractions when working from home- Tips & Tricks

Working from home can have negative effects. Parents and young couples experience them the most. They are unable to distance themselves from their families during working hours. After spending some time at home working in the same environment it can take a toll on your performance. 

• Productivity goes down and daily distractions are more frequent.
• Performances are low and may be hard to focus on.

There are ways to overcome this. Learn about strategies to organize a healthy remote working environment. In the modern age, remote-based work is more frequent than ever. It allows people to earn money online easily. Because of that, it is important to learn how to avoid distractions when working from home.

People new to the work from home concept can get trapped in a circle of procrastination. Many people who work from home can be more productive and relaxed. All they have to do is to learn and apply a few simple tips and tricks. More experienced freelancers and corporate associates have used them for a while. They all enjoy all the comforts of working from home.

Secure a working area

Working from home doesn’t imply working from bed. People often confuse the idea of a work-from-home position. It does not include a bowl of snacks with your laptop and coffee.

Sitting for 8 hours at a time will reduce concentration. Uncomfortable sitting positions impact our performance. The health impact of snacks every day can be very negative.

Efficiency requires a routine. A proper desk, chair, and equipment are a must. Depending on your job function you may need extra tools. A stable internet connection and good lighting are also the basics.

Agreement with the family

Depending on the number of people in your house (and their relation to you) make plans. Mothers with kids can have small breaks for lunch or coffee and spend them with the family. During the times when you have your headphones on, it means you are not available.

There are many creative ways parents communicate with small children. Let them know what to do while they are working.

But, roommates and pets are a story on different scales. An ideal option seclude yourself in one room with a door. If not, try to isolate the working area as much as possible. Also, get a good headset that will block out all the noise. This will allow you to concentrate. There is an upside to being able to communicate in online meetings.

Being able to plan and appreciate your work ensures quality. Set some expectations and meet them. If the team does not have set working hours, try to make your own. Doing so will prevent laziness, and overdrive at the same time.

Your daily schedule should be explained to the people you live with. Also, have an ear for their daily obligations as well. Planning out individual and group activities is important for every person. This will guarantee functioning and a stress-free working environment.

Routines and rituals

For people who recently transferred from an office to a home, it takes time to adjust. Make your day as efficient as possible. It will take a routine that resembles an office.

Workday should begin and end at the same time. Preparation for work should be the same as if you were commuting to work. This starts by getting up to the bed and getting your full outfit on. Even though you are going to your work desk, avoid becoming lazy. Working in a pajama, out of bed can lose your attention and focus.

Start every workday with a cup of coffee (or whatever gets your business juices flowing). Go through the assignments you have that day. Check e-mail and other communication channels. Make brakes at a similar time. You need a daily routine and use the brakes to rest your brain and think about other things.

Lessen the distractions

Refrain yourself from being on social media all the time. You can only do this if it is work-related. Turn off the TV and cut all communications aside, that is not important.

It may seem hard, but after a while, this will become a routine. Your efficiency will improve. There is a chance that you can even cut your working hours down because of it. This depends on the type of job you do.

To raise your efficiency you need to have discipline. It may take some time and concentration, but it is worth it.

Tips on how to avoid distractions when working from home

• Try to organize your rhythm and environment. Make it like office conditions. Remove anything that might distract you. We know that at the moment, everything is more interesting than the report you need to send. But during working hours avoid doing chores. Give up watching television, washing dishes, or dusting.
• Set priorities – that way you will be more productive and, ultimately, save time. Many studies show that work efficiency declines when many things are done at once.
• Although working out of bed may seem like a great option, it is advisable to avoid it. Reading and replying to emails or writing a text while lying in bed causes you to work at a slow pace. It can very easily happen that you fall asleep. Lying down sends a signal to the brain that it is time to relax. Also that there is no need for high concentration and “vigilance”. The rest of the body follows these signals, which makes it very hard to stay focused and productive.
• Determine the part of your home that will be your “office” during working hours and do all the work there. It is up to you to choose whether it will be a table on the terrace, a dining room or a desk. You must be comfortable. You need to have complete peace in which you will be able to perform work tasks in the best way.

There is more to this list

• When you use the Internet every day the security of your devices and the data can get compromised. Online communication is a potential security breach. Especially if you are working with sensitive data. That is why it is important to provide the device with a security software solution.
• Don’t forget about physical activity! Just like we advise to get up and take a walk from time to time during office hours, the same goes for working from home. Take breaks, stretch your legs, do short exercises, or stretch well. This is especially important if we remember that the chairs we use at home are not intended for all-day work.
• An extra challenge when working from home is the proper organization of meals. You plan to take a short break during work to prepare for lunch, and then your devices go berzerk. Here is a possible solution – prepare food every evening for the next day! There are ways you can even save some money on groceries. You will make sure that neither your work nor your stomachs suffer, and save some cash as well. Have fun and let your imagination run wild by combining your favorite flavors. But remember to do it the day before.

Working in an office and remote has some benefits and challenges

Working from home brings with it the comfort of working in your room. You don’t have to hurry, get ready, put on make-up, or go by transport. Also, you don’t need to arrive on time and so on. In that sense, you save both time and money.

But you lose contact with colleagues and the morning routines of preparation. If you move less, you are not immediately informed about events. Thus, you are less aware of business and interpersonal events. Depending on the type of work, it can be a significant factor.

Teleworking, as well as office work, has its disadvantages and advantages. The nature of the job should also be taken into account. Some jobs are suitable for online work. While others need live work, presence, and a direct relationship with people.

Tip: Are you a student looking for a remote job? There are many jobs to make money online while in college!

Benefits of working from home

By creating a home office, you can reduce costs many times over. First of all, it saves time, because in that case, you don’t have to travel to work. This is true even if you have decided that part-time work should be a salary supplement. It also applies if working from home is your main occupation.

Just imagine a situation where after a regular job you travel again. Commuting to work can be a thing of the past. Only if your extra job allows home comfort. In that way, you deprive yourself of valuable free time that you can spend with your loved ones. Working from home saves not only time but also money.

If you are at home, then you do not have additional costs. Paying for transportation, food, and drinks can be on your mind. There is also the advantage of working in a familiar environment. Work in a home office that you have designed especially for yourself. A sense of security follows because you are sitting in your home where you feel comfortable.

These are all benefits that enhance the work experience while enhancing work efficiency. The result of all this is more relaxed work where projects are completed faster and easier. It is no coincidence that more and more professionals decide to fly solo. Independent work instead seems more efficient than being part of a corporation.

Of course, it depends on you what you will do and where you will work. Some jobs require fieldwork or visiting clients. In that case, you have to try to find other strategies to implement.