I recently saw this Tweet:
Ignoring all the (hilarious) jokey responses to this question, I actually think that this is a good use of Twitter – and I totally get why she asked. Working from home is not as easy as those who have never done it, think it is.
It’s true, ‘working from home’ if you don’t intend to do much work is great, but if you really want to be a productive human being, hitting your goals and getting through a to-do list, this takes a particular type of focus.
I feel I may have mastered it, but it has taken a number of years – trial and error. My tips are as follows:
- Make a schedule – before you sit down to work – with clear goals and time slots
- Review you work at intervals, check you are actually getting things done and not just procrastinating or getting distracted by snack time and social media breaks
- Book a teleconference and use it as a deadline to get specific tasks done
- Prepare lunch the day before – or you will end up wasting time cooking up something way too extravagant
- Check emails at the start and end of the day
- Shower and get dressed – but don’t spend too much time doing this, a simple wash and ‘throw on’ situation is best
- Don’t answer personal calls…just don’t
- Do the most difficult task first
- Don’t feel you need to work normal hours
- Review at the end of the day and then again at the end of the week
More tips to come…when I remember them!
Kiesha