Work From Home: Tips to Maximise Your Productivity

Managing Director's Message

Home Work from

Tips to Maximise Your Productivity

By: Tameka Hill

Working from home seems perfect - no traffic, no fancy outfit, no pricey lunch (unless you want one). You simply wake up in your pajamas, pour yourself a cup of coffee, turn on your computer, and get to work. That cumbersome feeling associated with working from the office is no more, because you’re home. That is, until your home becomes the office and suddenly you feel anxious whenever you’re in your living room. It’s become the place of deadlines. Your kitchen has become the area for telephone calls, and your bathroom, the space for responding to emails. It’s no longer the same because you have nowhere to escape to. The place of escape has become the place of torture.

If you’ve found yourself faced with this new reality, you’re not alone. Over 60% of persons working from home have complained that one of their biggest challenges is their inability to unplug.

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3 4 5 So today, consider me your superhero. I’ve come to save you, and offer you seven tips to make your home a safe place again - even if it’s work. 1. Choose one place to work – One of the challenges

of working from home is that every room makes you 6feel anxious, because you’ve turned these spaces into your office. So, the first thing you’ll need to do is carve out a space that’s just for work. Perhaps select an area of your house that you rarely visit. Perhaps that room around the back where you’ve been storing things you don’t want but you aren’t sure you won’t want them later? Yes, that room! Clean it out and make that your very own workspace. 2. Get a desk and supportive chair – A desk and a chair can run you a pretty penny - trust me, my credit card knows it. So, before investing in these items, consider 7 what objects in your home can be temporarily used as a desk. Anything with a flat surface would be good. You don’t need a fancy chair. You just need something that gives good back support and is comfortable. 3. Get some shelves – Not only do shelves offer great storage for papers, notes, and other stationery, but it also keeps your space free and open. An open space allows for clarity of thought and allows for natural air and lighting, which everyone can benefit from. It also provides you with easy access to things you need daily for work. I hate losing items I need - working in several areas of your home can do that. So, get a shelf and store them all there. 4. Make sure your office has proper lighting – Good lighting is not only important for your Instagram pics, but it also serves a good purpose in the home office space - it’s easy on your eyes. When you spend hours staring at a screen, you’ll need adequate light so your eyes don’t have to constantly adjust to and from the screen. Trust me, your eyes will thank you for it. 5. Invest in a whiteboard – One of the first things I did in creating an office space within my home was purchase a whiteboard. Other than feeling like I’ve fought in a great war and subdued my enemies, whenever I accomplish a task and erase it from my white board’s to-do list, it provides the perfect area for adding pegs with notes, letters, memos, and things I need to review or remember. 6. Clean up those cords – If you’re anything like me, you hate seeing a bunch of cords hanging loose all over the place. This is one of the big inconveniences of working from home. But being the superhero that I am, I have a solution for you. Consider getting a USB hub for everything to plug into. You could have someone create a nice little wooden case that goes well with your décor. Plugs? Where? 7. Bring some nature inside – Nature is soothing to your soul. I know, cliché right? But it’s also true. A nice plant within your home not only boosts your home aesthetics, it also creates a nice calming effect. Try, however, not to get one that’s high maintenance, or you’ll have added more work to your workspace.