3 Helpful Tips to Stay Productive at Your Home Office
It’s no secret that we’re more inclined to procrastinate when the tasks we need to get done are in our homes. Whether it’s an old coffee table scattered with the latest round of junk mail, clothes strewn all over the floor, or dirty dishes piled on every available surface, there are just so many distractions that it becomes much harder to focus.
All you can think about is how nice and tidy your desk looks at work, or a nicely wiped down kitchen counter back at home.
But it doesn’t have to be discouraging! That’s why we’ve put together this list of tips for staying productive in your home office. Some are obvious, some might be a little more surprising, but they’ve all been tested and proven to work.
1. Get rid of distractions
This is the biggest one. When you’re home, there’s no reason to have all those papers strewn everywhere or dishes piled up in your sink. If something has absolutely nothing to do with your work, it should be put away in an area where you won’t see it.
For many procrastinators, this means getting up and moving around the house — not nearly as easy as just putting a pile of papers out of sight in some closet somewhere.
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2. Don’t let your desk get in the way
This is one that a lot of people miss when they live in a small apartment or home studio. Too many people try to do their work from their desks, rather than from some other location around the house. With a desk up against the wall, or up against a crowded closet, you’re not getting much work done.
In fact, studies have found that an office setup where you can’t see what’s on your desktop (like when you’re sitting at an opposing desk in your home office) is 35% more productive than one where you can see what’s on your desktop (like when you’re sitting at an opposing desk in the classroom).
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3. Create a space to clear your mind
If you’re working in a small apartment and struggle to get much done on the main part of your desk, put up some hooks or shelves where you can set things up out of the way or off-limits. This is an easy way to create a little work area for yourself that puts all distractions at arm’s length.
Even better, if you’ve got limited space in your home office, try a standing desk setup. These are desks that give users standing ability while they work, allowing them to put things up higher on their desks, or even out of sight altogether.
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