Imagine waking up, making your favorite coffee, and getting ready to tackle the day in your cozy home office. However, before you start your work, let's talk about some common mistakes that you can avoid making your work-from-home experience more productive and enjoyable.
Common mistakes that you can avoid to make your work-from-home experience more productive and enjoyable.
Poor Time Management
Have you ever found yourself lost in the endless scroll of social media instead of tackling your to-do list?
Yeah!
We've all been there!
So, what should you do to avoid this?
Set a schedule!
Setting your daily schedule and sticking to it can help you stay on track and avoid burnout.
Disorganized or Cluttered Workspace
A cluttered workspace reduces productivity without you knowing it! You spend way more time looking for something you need or just waste time losing focus when you need to give your 100% to the task at hand!
Your workspace should be your sanctuary, not a war zone of clutter!
Take a cue from Marie Kondo, the Japanese organizing consultant, author, and TV show host, best known for her KonMari method of tidying up and decluttering who encourages people to declutter their homes by keeping only items that "spark joy" and letting go of possessions that no longer serve a purpose.
Decluttering your desk to create a zen zone ultimately boosts productivity.
The Overwork Trap
Don’t get trapped into doing too much! Many folks who work from home feel that because they have the freedom of being in their work zone easily without the need to commute, they fall into the trap of working continuously with little or no time for breaks!
Working from home doesn't mean you need to be glued to your laptop 24/7.
Remember to clock out and give yourself some well-deserved downtime to recharge.
Distractions
Working from the comfort of your home can come with its fair share of distractions especially if you don’t have to check in regularly with your colleagues!
From fluffy pets or kids demanding attention to Netflix whispering sweet nothings, or your bed being too close and inviting for comfort, distractions are everywhere for someone who works from home! So find ways to minimize all these distractions and stay focused on the task at hand.
Self-Care Neglect
If you’ve ever been greeted with the image of a colleague who appears for your work Zoom meeting in their pajamas, then you’ll understand fully the point I’m trying to make here.
Self-neglect goes beyond appearances, it also includes how well you eat, move your body, etc while working from home!
Your well-being should always come first! Don't forget to move your body, nourish your soul, eat healthy meals, and take regular breaks to avoid burnout.
Loneliness
Someone once told me that the kind of person who will enjoy working from home is the one who’s introverted and enjoys their own company.
While I agree that working from home can sometimes be lonely especially if you work for a small organization with very little staff, working from home doesn’t have to be lonely!
Yes! It can be easy to feel isolated when your only coworkers are houseplants but as with everything in life, you have to make the conscious effort to fight loneliness.
This you can do by making an effort to connect with friends, family, and colleagues to keep those social juices flowing.
Communication Glitches
Having a face-to-face conversation with someone where you can see their facial expression and read their mood around the time the communication takes place or before will always trump written communication.
Chats, emojis, and other forms of written communication can be easily misinterpreted leading to communication mishaps. And considering that remote workers communicate via this channel a lot could be cause for some worry. So, it's important to always keep communication open and clear to avoid misunderstandings. Avoid using too many emojis when communicating with colleagues.
A dodgy internet connection could also cause breaks in communication. It is important, especially in countries such as Nigeria, to have more than one internet service provider so that you can quickly switch in case your connectivity is broken.
Tech Troubles
Ah, the joys of technology! From frozen screens to mysterious error messages, tech issues can throw a wrench in your plans. Keep calm and Google on, my friend.
Unclear Boundary
Setting boundaries with family members or roommates at work can be tricky but is important!
It is not okay for family members to keep disturbing you while you’re on a work call or meeting. Be upfront about your work hours! Let everyone know that you are not to be disturbed at specific times of the day when you’re in your workspace. If they need to communicate urgently, then create the right channels for such communications i.e. a quick WhatsApp or text message to get your attention. After all, if you were at work in a physical location away from your home, they could not just barge in on you at work without prior notice!
I cannot emphasize this enough, have a designated workspace and let everyone know that this is your workspace, and you need to avoid interruptions during crunch time.
Procrastination - the stealer of Time
There's a reason why this phrase exists!
Procrastinating makes you delay or postpone tasks that you need to accomplish. So instead of using your time effectively and efficiently to tackle important tasks, you end up wasting time by putting them off until later. This robs you of the precious time you have to achieve your goals, complete your responsibilities, and make progress in your work.
Don’t do it!
Remember that time is a finite resource, and when you procrastinate, you are squandering the opportunity to use your time productively.
Working from home may create the illusion of having plenty of time and may tempt you to procrastinate. However, whether you work remotely or commute to a physical workplace, maintaining productivity is crucial.
Let's shift away from the mindset of "Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow" and embrace "Why do tomorrow what you can do today." It's time to get to work!
Combat procrastination by breaking tasks into manageable chunks and rewarding yourself for each milestone achieved. Make the most of your time and stay on track towards your goals!
There you have it, folks! By sidestepping these common work-from-home pitfalls, you'll be well on your way to WFH wizardry in no time. Remember, it's all about finding what works best for you and creating a harmonious balance between work and play.
Happy telecommuting!