How to Be More Productive Working From Home

By Catherine Irvine, Associate Digital Content Writer

The ability to work from home significantly depends on a position’s job responsibilities — can they be completed remotely? A 2020 publication from the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 63% of U.S. jobs require a significant on-site presence while the remaining 37% can be performed entirely at home. Other factors that can influence the decision to work from home include age, income, the presence of children, level of education, residential location, or job type — not just the ability of the employee.

A study conducted by McKinsey & Company in 2022, long after the unexpected adoption of work-from-home practices, found that workers have been embracing remote positions. Out of those surveyed, 87% said they would take the chance to work flexibly and 58% reported already being able to work from home for at least part of the week.

Now that work from home has become a desirable job feature for employees, how can we make this a sustainable practice?

Challenges of Working from Home

To ensure that individuals’ productivity or mental health is not negatively impacted, it is important to address the new challenges remote employees face.

Time Management

Flipping on the work-mindset-switch while at home can be one of the biggest challenges of working from home. Distractions, in combination with a lack of routine, can mean a decrease in productivity during your workday. A routine can assist you in staying organized, completing your goals and properly using time.

Work-Life Balance

While working from the comfort of your home, the boundaries you set between work and your personal life can become blurred. Distractions like pets, packages, family or your fridge make it difficult to focus on the tasks of the day. These blurred boundaries can also make it difficult to find social time after working hours.

Professional Growth

Without face-to-face meetings or lunchtime conversations, it can be difficult to find the opportunity to network. Networking allows you to be visible, maintain connections with coworkers, and provide opportunities for promotions, bigger projects or raises. Employee isolation can foster miscommunication, lack of motivation and struggles with mental health.

Best Practices for Working from Home

Despite the challenges a remote office presents, there are practices you can implement to make working from home and staying connected with the company culture a little bit easier.

Find a Routine

Try creating a morning routine as if you were commuting to the office each day. Implement tasks like waking up at the same time, dressing in something other than sweatpants and planning your workday. Create a work environment that will promote confidence and productivity.

Commute: Pretend you are going into the office in the morning. Wake up at the same time every day, eat a healthy breakfast and consider a morning stretch or a walk around the block. Following a routine can help you feel like you are making your “commute” and supports a focused mindset for the day ahead.

Get dressed: Working in casual clothes or pajamas can negatively affect productivity. Being dressed to leave the house will help with self-esteem and create a professional mindset. Prepare yourself to do your best work.

Create a Goal: Start every day knowing what you want to accomplish. Setting goals will help you remain organized and focused on the tasks ahead. Project management apps like Trello are available to help organize tasks and deadlines, allowing you to track your performance and adjust work goals as needed.

Create a Work Environment

While it may seem like a dream to work from bed, designating a space in your home is helpful when trying to minimize distractions and keep your personal life separate from work.

Create a workspace: Fight the temptation to sit on the couch and instead create a space in your home that is used strictly for work. This space could be a spare room or another quiet area. The goal is to eliminate as many distractions as possible and have an “office” that you associate with work and not personal life.

Maintain a schedule: Stick to the structured work time that has been determined by your company or the availability of other people. Making a schedule will help you manage due dates and creates a boundary that decreases the chance of burnout.

Personal projects: Having a designated workspace and schedule allows you to keep your work separate from your personal life. With the rest of your time, focus on new opportunities. Make a list of goals and creative projects that you would like to accomplish outside of work.

Stay Connected

Take every opportunity to stay connected to your teammates and supervisors. While it can be difficult to replace in-person interaction with coworkers, there are ways to increase visibility and build your network.

Regular communication: Use communication channels like email, Teams and video conferencing to share updates or questions with your teammates and manager. Make it a point to communicate at least once a day to avoid the feeling of isolation. Remote meetings are a great tool to remain connected. Be an active participant by preparing questions and ideas for team meetings.

Get Performance Feedback: Ask your supervisors for regular feedback. Knowing how your managers view your performance can help you understand areas of improvement as well as areas of strength. When you feel stuck, reach out to team members or managers for support. Similarly, share successes with your team. Place yourself in a position that is visible and shows professional growth.

Professional Development opportunities: Find available training or courses that could help you boost your skills. Correspondingly, consider participating in any professional development opportunities your company offers. It may be difficult to remain visible while working remotely. In an office environment, there is regular interaction that builds networks and opportunities. Combat this by regularly visiting the office and communicating your desired professional growth.

In conclusion, the ability to work from home is dependent on various factors including job type and responsibilities. While it offers flexibility, working from home also presents new challenges. To overcome these challenges, it is important to establish a routine, create a designated workspace, and stay connected with coworkers and supervisors. By implementing these practices, individuals can navigate work from home while maintaining productivity and avoiding burnout.

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