Working From Home – 3 Ways to Increase Productivity

In January of this year my son Conner was born, and I transitioned from being a women in the workforce to a stay and home mother. My boss offered me an opportunity to work a few hours a week from home. I gratefully took the offer.

In this transition from working in an office to working at home, I have found three simple tips that help me to make the most of my time:

1. Get ready for work
This may sound silly, but I had a really hard time getting ready for the day when I knew I was not leaving the house. I would find myself eating lunch still in my PJ’s. (In my defense, staying up with a newborn at night is no picnic!)

I eventually realized that this was definitely affecting my productivity. The mornings that I took the time to get up and get ready for the day I felt better and was able to accomplish more. Taking that few minutes in the morning for yourself really makes a difference.

2. Have a set time to work
Even though I do not actually go to work, I have a set time when I am ‘working’. From 10:00 – 4:00 I try to focus my free time (between diaper changes, feeding, and tickle fights) on work. I found this boosted my productivity for two reasons:

First, when you have a goal and an alotted time, it is easier to focus. By focussing on one task you are able to accomplish more.

Second, having a set time to work allows you to take a break and be ‘home’ after hours. I really struggled with this at first. It is important to separate your work and home life for yourself & your family.

3. Have a set place to work
For my first few months working from home, I set up my ‘office’ on one half of our kitchen table. It was an easy convinient spot to sit and work. When I evaluated my productivity, I realized how distracting my location was. As I tried to focus on work, I would notice the dishes in the kitchen and take a break to wash them. Then I would pick up the living room. It was hard for me to totally focus on work.

I moved my ’office’ set up to our spare room, and I have noticed a significant difference. When I go to my office to work, I am able to focus on the task at hand. It is also easier to leave the office and take care of family life without the distraction of work sitting right in front of me.

The opportunity for me to work from home has been a huge blessing for my family. My goal is to continue to explore ways to be more efficient and productive with my time so that I can fulfill both roles – as a mother and an employee.

Have any of you found ways to boost productivity while working from home? I would love to hear! Please share them in the comments.