You are an entrepreneur working on your own business at home. The TV is on, your partner is calling you for lunch and you’ve lost all concentration. You want your business to thrive and have the ability to do well, but how can you effectively work from home?
Your home office
It can be very easy to sit back and relax at home procrastinating and getting distracted. A designated office space creates an organised and effective place to work. Think about these points when creating your office space:
- Make it so you know exactly where to find documents, forms, designs, etc.
- Remember, a supportive office chair is better than a sofa, look after your back!
- Decorate your office to make it visually stimulating, look for ideas on Pinterest
- Use your space well to optimise your organisation
- A white board can be great to brainstorm
- A calendar will let you track your progress easily
It is much easier to get into work mode when in a designated work space.
How to focus!
When you work at home we can procrastinate by the smallest of things. Remember, your business is driven by your skills and enthusiasm, so your input is essential for business success.
“Work out what tasks are suited to the morning and which tasks can take a whole afternoon”
A daily schedule can be a great solution. Create a timetable, including breaks and lunch – you will feel organised and energised to make the most of each day.
An early morning cycle can be an energy boost to start a working day at home. Work out what tasks are suited to the morning and which tasks can take a whole afternoon. Then you can organise your day and be productive with your schedule. This way, your end result is much better and you will be focussed on the deadline.
Socialising
When working at home, you are unlikely to have colleagues to talk to which can be isolating. You may find social media can be an easy way to socialise which could lead to time browsing Facebook, putting your work second. Manage your time effectively using apps like Rescue Time to achieve a work-life balance.
“Socialising is really important to having a healthy lifestyle”
Socialising is really important to having a healthy lifestyle. Here are some ideas:
- Organise face to face meetings for work
- Schedule your working day to set times to leave evenings for socialising
- Only use social media on a minimal basis during work hours
- Tell others when you are busy so they don’t interrupt you during work hours
By organising your time, you can have a brilliant work and social life. Everyone is unique so pick what works for you. Why not try some of these ideas and see how they change productivity at work.
Rick Powell is the creative director of Bath-based digital marketing company Yarp Media. You can keep up to date with what they are doing on Twitter @yarpmedia.
- Bored of home? You may like: Top tech office spaces in Bath and Top tech office spaces in Bristol
