As a result of the pandemic, around half of the UK’s workforce had to work from home. For many, this was their first experience of remote working. It was easy for some to adapt. Many employees reported feeling more productive and embraced the flexibility. But it wasn’t all plain sailing. Others struggled with the isolation, craving office life and the collaborative environment that comes with it.
A survey of 2000 companies in the UK revealed that most employers will be adopting a more flexible approach to working from home vs working in the office. It looks like remote working is here to stay in some shape or form post-pandemic. With that in mind, how can you increase productivity when working remotely?
Create the right environment
An effective workspace is key to increasing productivity. Choosing to work somewhere with natural light can help. It’s important to create a balance between home life and work life.
Set boundaries with the people you live with and set yourself up with a good routine. When you have a routine in place you’ll find it easier to be productive and as an added benefit, you’ll be better equipped to manage stress and anxiety.
Start the day right
As tempting as staying in your pyjamas may be, getting ready for work should be part of your working from home routine. Have a shower, have breakfast, get dressed, and act like you’re going to work for the day. If you roll out of bed at 8.55am and make your way to the laptop bleary eyed, it’s unlikely you’ll be in the right mindset to start the working day.
Just as creating the right environment helps you to be more productive, getting yourself into the right headspace is beneficial.
Take regular breaks
When you’re working from home it’s easy to forget to take a break. You might think you’re being more productive by skipping lunch, but if you don’t take a break you actually become less productive. It’s scientifically proven that avoiding breaks is bad for your output and your well-being.
Not only is taking breaks vital to your productivity, the kind of break you take is equally important. Instead of watching YouTube or reading the news, step away from your desk. Go for a quick walk or do something non-work related to boost your productivity, creativity, and mood.
Develop solid time management skills
Time management was difficult pre-pandemic. Working from home presents new challenges. There’s different distractions in your remote working environment. That’s why it’s important to harness the power of time management when you’re working from home. Schedule and prioritise your tasks and stick to your goals.
It can help to visualise your tasks using a platform like ClickUp or Monday.com. You could consider downloading an app to help with staying on top of your time. Focus Keeper is a great option that’s based on Pomodoro technique. This breaks your work up into timed intervals (usually 25 minutes with a five minute break) which is great for staying focused and motivated.
Know when to stop
22% of employees have difficulty switching off at the end of the working day. It goes back to the importance of setting up a routine. Set an alarm to indicate that your normal working day is coming to a close. You don’t always have to stick to finishing at this time, sometimes there’s a deadline or you’ve been distracted by something else earlier in the day and need to make up time.
But the signal that you’re at the end of your working hours can help to get you into the mindset of finishing what you’re doing. Just like getting prepared for work puts you into working mode, it’s equally important to prepare for the end of your day.
Whether your business is embracing the flexibility of working from home, or you’re at full capacity in the office, AFP Digital has you covered with everything you need to be productive.
If you need to go digital to allow your employees to work more efficiently, or you’re looking at a printer fleet that allows you to print from anywhere, we’ve got a solution to meet your needs. Find out more on our website.