More of us are working from home than ever before. The growing use of the internet means that over the last few years, more employees have been working remotely, and more people have been launching their own home businesses. Of course, over the last few months, as we have striven to prevent the spread of COVID-19, even those of us that were previously working in an office, or otherwise out of the home, have been thrust into remote working as possible, to make social distancing easier. 

There are many advantages to working from home. It can offer excellent flexibility, as well as comfort and ease. Many businesses find that remote workers are more productive than those that work in the office, and creativity can also get a big boost with home working. 

But, it’s not always as easy as it sounds, especially if it’s something that you haven’t done before. You certainly can work productively, but with so many distractions, it doesn’t come naturally for all of us. Whether you have always worked from home, or your remote working status is a temporary measure, here is a look at some of the ways you can increase your own productivity. 

Make It Easier

There may be elements of working from home that you don’t enjoy. Admin is a big one for many home business owners. They love getting to be creative and working in new ways, but they hate sending invoices and emails. Make these tasks easier for yourself and save time by using templates from https://www.templafy.com/templafy-email-signature-manager/. These will also help to keep your business compliant. Setting up your own spreadsheets to help you to keep track of your work, communications, and earnings can also help you to simplify processes and make your days easier. 

Define a Work Space

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Working from home is much easier if you have a home office, away from all of the distractions of everyday home life. If you haven’t got an office, it’s easy to get distracted and harder to manage your time.

Ask yourself if you could add a workspace to another quiet area of your home? Could you put a desk in your dining room or even an ample hall space? Try to find somewhere to work that is away from your family, and somewhere that you don’t spend too much time usually. 

Set Working Hours

One of the best things about working from home is the flexibility. But, not having set working hours can be detrimental to productivity. 

Setting working hours can help you to manage your time. But, it doesn’t work for everyone. You might find 9-5 works well. Or, you might find that setting your hours each morning, to suit the rest of your plans is more advantageous. I happen to fall in the latter category.

Get Some Exercise

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Working out can boost your mood, increase your creativity, and help you to focus. If you can, get at least a little exercise when you first wake up, to set you up for the rest of the day. I always sneak in a little workout in the am, even if it’s just a short bike ride in the neighborhood. Learn more about the benefits of exercise at https://medlineplus.gov/benefitsofexercise.html. 

Keep in Touch 

If you are working remotely but still as part of a larger workforce, keep in touch with your manager and colleagues. This will help you to focus and hit your targets.