So the weather outside is frightful, and you’ve convinced your boss to let you work from home… With so much opportunity for distraction, how do you stay focused?
As our technology improves and becomes more accessible, our reliance on a work environment is diminishing. There also seems to be an increasing frequency to factors hindering our travel, from floods, to snow, to gridlock, all which may mean employers may actually benefit from allowing their staff to work from home more often, saving on man hours and overheads and avoiding unplanned days off.
However, to a generation as yet unused to this perceived freedom, this can be a whole new environment where you have to create your own drive and boundaries.
Don’t…
- View a day working from home as a day off. You need to get that thought out of your head right now. While spending the day in your PJs with a bottomless coffee and Jeremy Kyle on in the background may be enticing, it will distract you and you’ll pay for it later when approaching that deadline.
Do…
- Get out of bed, get dressed, by all means have a coffee but avoid turning the TV on.
Don’t…
- Think you can get away with not communicating with the poor souls who’ve dragged themselves into the office, as they’ll be thinking you’re working incredibly hard and are avoiding distractions.
Do…
- Remain in frequent contact with the office throughout the day. How ever good your intentions are, your co-workers and potentially even your boss will think that you’re skiving. Call your boss first thing in the morning to discuss your objectives for the day, call once again in the afternoon to give an update, and remain on top of your emails throughout the day, replying promptly.
Don’t…
- Suddenly discover that your house needs to be cleaned / the dog needs to be walked / a shelf needs to be put up / the fish needs feeding before you do that report your boss is expecting. In the comfort of your own home, you will have to fight against yourself trying to find distractions for anything other than actual work.
Do…
- Plan breaks into your day. You are still allowed them, and if you know when they’ll be you can work towards them as a target. If you find yourself becoming distracted, it might be worth getting away from your computer for five minutes so that you feel refreshed and refocussed when you return. Just be aware that you’re not doing this every ten minutes…
Don’t…
- Treat your sofa / bed as your desk. The best of intentions can be decimated by a snuggly warm bed!
Do…
- If you’re not fortunate enough to have a dedicated office at home, set up a mini office space somewhere in your house. This can be on a kitchen table, a counter top, even a coffee table if you’re willing to embrace the bohemian within and sit on a cushion. This will really help you focus and get into the mindset you need.
Working from home is supposed to be a nice change from the office, but fully benefiting from it requires discipline.
UK population rises, expensive and difficult travel, and massive increases in property rental fees for businesses will all eventually need a solution, and with the advances in technology and communication, home working may well be it.
Just try to avoid the pitfalls so that you can take full advantage of this work culture shift.
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