5 min readMay 26, 2020

694-How to Be More Effective Working from Home

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How to Be More Effective Working from Home

What You Need to Be Aware of So You Can Get Things Done

With conditions and circumstances constantly changing in the world, working from home and learning to be effective, is now something you have to adapt to.

While working from home may sound appealing, there are things you need to be aware of to stay on track with your tasks and get the right things done.

To be effective while working from home means you will have to:

Be self-motivated and disciplined.
Know how to stay focused.
Resist the distractions or temptations available at home.
Know how to prioritise well.
Learn to better manage your schedule.

The Pros of Working from Home

The benefits of working from home include:

You won’t lose time commuting to and from work.
You can set your own hours, where practical.
You are away from loud or noisy environments.
You can manage stress better, which means you will be more relaxed.
You can get more work done.

The Cons of Working from Home

The disadvantages of working from home include:

You can get distracted easily if you do not set boundaries or expectations with others in your home.
You can feel isolated if working alone for an extended period.
You may not have the technology or systems you need to get your work done.
You may overwork because you don’t have a defined start and stop time.
You can feel you are missing out on important things or feel left out of the loop.

My Experience of Working from Home

I have worked from home for many years and have learned a few things about how to be as effective as I can be.

Things I am good at include:

Using my calendar and a daily planning system well.
Staying focused and disciplined.
Prioritising my tasks.
Taking enough breaks to keep my energy level high.

Things I can improve include:

Having a proper lunch break.
Stop working into the evenings.
Reduce the time spent on the internet.
Stand up and move more often.

10 Ways to Be More Effective Working from Home

Here are ten ways to be more effective working from home so you can continue to get things done and achieve your objectives.

Set clear intentions and goals daily. You have to know what you want to get done, which means you are less likely to procrastinate.
Plan your day, ideally the night before. Having a routine will help. This also means using your calendar or a planning system to keep you on track.
Have a dedicated work space. Treat working from home like you are in an office or normal work environment. You can make a bedroom or an area in your home your working area.
Set clear expectations. If there are others at home when you are working, communicate when you can or cannot be interrupted. The clearer you are, the easier it will be manage.
Use technology to block out distractions. This can include putting your phone on silent if you are not taking calls. It can also mean shutting down applications you don’t need while working on a task.
Start early and focus on your most important task first. Your energy and ability to focus is usually high in the morning. If you use your first couple of hours for high-leverage activities, you are more likely to have a productive day.
Batch activities as much as possible. Based on how much time you have available, it’s helpful to group similar activities together. For example, make all your phone calls in one block and respond to emails in another block.
Use a timer to manage your energy level. Even though you may feel you can continue working without taking many breaks, the reality is you will get mentally fatigued. That will affect your ability to focus. Taking at least one short break an hour and a longer break every two or three hours will make a difference to your focus levels.
Use your least productive time for low-value activities. For many people, the time after lunch, usually mid to late afternoon, is when their energy level dips. That is the time to do tasks that don’t require a high level of focus.
Have a defined finishing time. Similar to when going to a workplace, you must have a “stop work” time. If you don’t, you risk working long hours and burning out. You can always continue where you left off the next day.

Final Thoughts

If you have the right mindset and know how to set yourself up to be effective when working from home, it will make a difference to your work life. The better you adapt when working from home, the easier it will be to achieve your objectives and remain a valuable worker.

If you are not effective when working from home, you will disappoint yourself and others, and can cause delays in reaching your objectives.

Action Step: If you work from home, evaluate how you are performing and how effective you are. Use the ideas suggested here to improve how you work from home.

Question: What are other ways to be more effective working from home?