No commute. No drive-by meetings. No dress code. Remote working can seem like a dream — until personal obligations get in the way. These distractions are easy to ignore in an office, but at home it can be difficult to draw the line between personal and professional time.
How to Stay Focused When You’re Working from Home
When you’re working from home, you can easily be distracted by household chores, personal priorities, and even friends and family. To focus more effectively, you need to set boundaries. Here are some tips for how you can make remote work more productive and satisfying, whether it’s an everyday occurrence or an occasional day away from the office. Establish working hours. Create “office hours,” and limit all non-work-related tasks to before or after this time. Structure your day for success. Establish a meeting-free day, or at least reserve half a day for focused work. Then define one to two key items that you want to accomplish during this time. Set boundaries with others. Explain to friends, family, and other acquaintances that the days you’re working remotely aren’t opportunities for non-work-related activities and that any errands or conversations should take place after work or on a lunch break. As you consistently communicate and live by these expectations, other people will begin to expect them, and you’ll find yourself having more time for focused work.