Chances are, you have recently been working from home. And chances are, you haven’t worked from home in the past! It’s probably a little different than you expected it to be. As much as you’d like it to be, sleeping in until odd hours, staying in your pajamas, and lying in bed aren’t going to help with your productivity. Even if you think you get your best work done in the comfort of your own bed, it might be affecting you in ways you didn’t even realize.

Below are some quick, easy, and mostly harmless ways to help boost your productivity in your home office!

Stick to a schedule.

It doesn’t have to be the exact schedule you had at work. Your workday doesn’t have to start at the same time it did in the office. But find a good schedule that works for you! Write out the schedule, and then stick to it. Be sure to include a time when your workday ENDS. It can be difficult not to let work take over your whole day when it is all done in your home. You don’t have to “clock out” at 5 but be sure to have a time when the computer closes, and work is over.

Create a morning and nightly routine.

When your office is only steps away from your bed, it can be easy to roll out of bed and go straight to “work.” Have a morning routine that ensures when it is time to work, you are fully awake and prepared. A nightly routine is just as important! You don’t want to close the computer and go straight to bed. Experts say to have at least an hour of “down time” to help you fall asleep. Maybe you spend that time reading, playing with your kids, talking with your spouse, or doing some light yoga

Take breaks.

Stand up and walk around your house. Throw a load in the laundry. Do some dishes. Prep some food for dinner. Taking regular, 15 minute breaks during the day boosts productivity and creativity.

Communicate more with your supervisor and co-workers than you regularly would.

By having open communication with your team, this builds trust and reassures them that you are spending your time wisely. This also minimizes room for errors to be made, and situations to fall through the cracks. Consider creating a group chat or shared Word document with your team so that everyone is on the same page.

Have a designated work space…that isn’t your bed.

Not only does working from your bed make your productivity low, but it can trick your brain into not falling asleep come nighttime. You see, when you work in bed, you are telling yourself that this is a place where you work. Therefore, when it comes to bedtime, your brain won’t go into sleeping mode, it will be in working mode! This is why having a place for work and work only is the best way to stay productive. This can be the kitchen table, or you can even swing by your local office furniture store for reasonably priced furniture to create your new home office.
If you are local to Columbus, I encourage you to check out Capital Choice Office Furniture for ready-to-take-home desks, chairs, filing cabinets and more! Who knows, maybe you will make working from home so productive, that you won’t want to go back to the office!