An unprecedented amount of the workforce has begun working from home. For many people, this is the first time in their working lives that they have done remote work. For others, this is the dream. Working wherever you like sounds amazing. Heck, you could go sit by the beach all day, and soak up the sun while working if you wanted.
Unfortunately, as I write this we are in lockdown, billions of people around the world are being told to stay home. So the beach is out of the question. But we have some tips to help you stay productive while working at home.
If you don’t have a job and want to make money online while working from home. Check out this article about landing a job on UpWork, I made over $30 an hour in my second week on the platform.
Stay Disciplined While Working From Home
You’ve finally secured the freedom of being able to work from wherever you like. And shit, it's weird. Everything that could possibly distract you is right there. There is no manager looking over your shoulder, ensuring you stay on task. When you start working at home, you have to work to motivate yourself to stay on track.
It’s crucial to create a good routine to maintain your work discipline and achieve deep work.
There are distractions galore when working from home, your first step is to avoid these distractions. If you want to keep your job and continue making money you need to block them out or eliminate them completely.
If you struggle to do this, I recommend finding an area in your house or apartment that removes you from all distractions. Then, get to work. Once you remove all the distractions from your workplace, you only have two options: work or do nothing. Doing nothing eventually becomes more boring than doing the work. So you can literally bore yourself into production.
Plan Out Your Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Tasks
To maximize your efficiency while working from home, it is important to plan out all your necessary tasks for the month. Then put these into daily, weekly, and monthly schedules. This provides clarity around your work and makes the load seem more manageable.
To keep track of how you are spending your time while working from home, try a time management software. Toggl is an online tool that measures how long you are spending on tasks. It makes you a lot more accountable for what you achieve in a day. I use this frequently and it shocked me how much time I waste on unproductive work. Be warned, it could be a bit of a rude awakening.
Your employers may have project management software for you to use. Some of these tools allow you to log on and view all the tasks you and your team required to do. If your company does not have a project management software, suggest Trello or Monday.
Clear Communication With Your Employer
When you start working from home, you must ensure your employer sets clear work guidelines for you. Whether it’s your regular boss or a client on UpWork, make sure you know exactly what they are looking for before you begin work. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to get clarity around your role.
Decide with your employer on how much you want to touch base with them. It’s best to set a regular routine to maintain clear communication and guarantee you’re on the right track.
If you are not available to chat when you need to be, you will frustrate your client or employer. Be sure to respond in a timely manner when they send you messages, this will increase their trust in you while you work from home. When you receive a message from them, at the very least let them know you got it and will get back to them.
Video Meetings
If you need to stay in touch with your employer or workmates, video meetings are a great option to ensure clarity between the team. Messaging is a fast and easy way of staying in contact with your employer. But, it can be tricky to always be on the same page through this method.
Instead, try using calls or video chats, this will get you the answer you need quicker. Video meetings improve everyone’s understanding when it comes to a task. It’s easier to understand what someone wants when speaking to them face to face. You pick up on body language and emotions, which are missed when messaging.
Choose from a range of video conferencing tools like:
Skype
Google Hangouts
Whereby
Summary
To be successful when working from home, you need to create a clear work routine, find a quiet workplace at home, limit any distractions, and create work schedules. Doing these small things will ensure you are an efficient machine while you work from home. Time and project management tools will hold you accountable and show you home much work you actually do.
If you are looking to find online work to allow you to work from home, try signing up to Upwork. I made $30 an hour in my second week. You don’t need any experience to start. Check out my article on How to Get Jobs on Upwork.
If you want to create a passive online income with work you can do at home, read my Guide to Setting up an Affiliate Blogging Website.
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