How to be Productive While Working from Home

Working from home may sound like a convenient and fun way to spend your working hours. You don't have to commute, share an office, or adapt to working in a team. You get to arrange and organize your own working conditions and be in charge of how you get things done.

While this is the benefit of having a remote job, there's one major problem all remote workers face. Your house is full of distractions and without a clear working schedule, you fail to achieve the desired level of productivity.

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This article will be a go-to guide for anyone making a transition from a 9-to-5 job to freelancing as well as those who already work from home but have troubles with getting themselves together. Let's break it down and see what daily habits you need to embrace to become more productive while working from home.

1. 1. Morning Routine

   To be productive during your workday, it's essential that you start your day right. Productivity starts from the moment you open your eyes in the morning, so make sure that you establish a power routine.

   

   Here's what you need to do:

   • • Set your alarm to a specific time in the morning;
   • • Get up at least one hour before you need to be at your home office desk;
   • • Have a healthy breakfast;
   • • Do some exercise;
   • • Listen to energetic music;
   • • Take care of the little things around the house.

   Don't sit in front of your computer right out of your bed. Establish a routine of healthy habits that will prepare you for the workday ahead of you.

2. 2. Getting Dressed

   Working in your pajamas is one of the popular remote working misconceptions. It will lower your productivity and make you feel at home, instead of at work.

   Even though you're technically still in your house, you need to draw a line between your personal and professional self.

   

   So, before you start working in your home office, you should:

   • • Get out of your PJs;
   • • Get dressed into something you'd wear at a real office;
   • • Put on some makeup or fix your hair;

   Your physical appearance will remind you that you're at work. It will boost your professional energy and help you stay productive until the end of the workday.

3. 3. Make a Deal with Your Family

   Family members are the biggest source of distraction for any freelancer and remote worker, working from home.

   While it's nice to have you around and you enjoy spending time with your family, they need to give you some space when it comes to your working hours.

   This means that you need to make a deal with them and establish some basic rules when it comes to your time and space while working. Talk about things such as:

   • • Not entering your home office unless it's something emergent;
   • • Trying to keep it down while you're working;
   • • Giving you the mental support that you need to stay productive;
   • • Helping you stay focused;

   Zoe Wilson, content writer for Grabmyessay shared from her experience: "If your family members keep interrupting you to ask you about things that can wait or share something interesting with you, your productivity will decrease. Be open about it, and they'll understand."

4. 4. Take Breaks

   Just like in any other office, you need a break from all the hard work. Taking a break is essential for resting your brain and being able to continue working productively until the end of your working hours.

   

   So, you should establish a routine when it comes to taking a break and how you spend it:

   • • Decide on a specific time for taking your break every day;
   • • Decide how long it's going to last;
   • • Make sure it's at least half an hour, preferably an hour;
   • • Use it wisely: get some fresh air, take a walk with your kids, play with your dog outside or take a bike ride.

   A proactive, outdoors break will contribute to your productivity later on. Make sure that you're spending your break time away from your computer and your home office.

5. 5. Eat Well

   Food is one of the most important factors of leading a healthy life and staying productive during the entire day. You can't expect to work at your maximum if you're hungry.

   

   Hunger leads to exhaustion, and that leads to a lack of concentration and energy. To avoid being blocked by your eating routine, you need to ensure you're eating properly.

   Here's what to think about:

   • • Healthy, nutritious breakfast
     Your breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Make sure you make a power-breakfast such as nuts, oats, fresh fruit, yogurt, smoothie, French toast, fresh vegetables, etc.
   • • Something energizing as a snack
     Make a healthy, energizing snack before you start work or simply keep a banana at your office desk.
   • • Lunch during break time
     Use your break time to grab lunch and get back to work feeling energized and refreshed.

   Food will help you maintain balance and productivity during your entire workday, so don't disregard its importance.