The all-time best hacks to make work from home easy and fun

*Tring Tring* The second beep of your alarm is all you can take, which is why you pick your phone up, to switch the alarm off and grab another 5 minutes of sleep before you finally have to get ready for work. *7:45 AM* As you see the time and date, another thought pops up: “I do not have to get dressed for work! It is work from home day!” And without another thought, you get back to sleep, arms beneath your pillow, only to wake up an hour later and login to your work mail by 9 AM exact, still in bed. 

If this is what you think “Work from home” looks like, you aren’t entirely wrong. But even though it has perks of its own, there are times where you digress from the path you are on, lack motivation to continue working the entire day or find it really difficult to concentrate with all the other things going on at your place. So, what should you do to make sure that while you are at work, you do not lose focus?

Here we are with yet another list of hacks that will not only help you get your attention back on the office presentation you were making but also make your work from home easy and fun.

1. Set your workplace

Before you set your laptop on your cosy bed and start typing the first email of the day, stop. Don't do that! To be able to concentrate better, you must dedicate a particular space, which in other words, cannot be your bedroom! It can be anything, from your dining table to your drawing room to the study room. The basic idea is to develop the aura of your workplace, where noise is at an all-time low and you’re able to put everything aside and concentrate on the work at hand. 

Even if you live in a small apartment, try a particular place where you can sit and work, without distraction. You can choose to sit by a window where sunlight can pour in during the day. Fun fact: Sitting in sunlit areas is known to increase productivity. But sitting on your couch and bed not only ruins your productivity during the day but also messes your sleep during the night.

So, even though you aren’t required to dress up for work every day, you must dedicate a specific space where you can sit and focus.

2. Declutter your workspace

Keeping your workspace cluttered creates chaos in your workspace and also disrupts your productivity levels. As revealed by a survey conducted by OfficeMax, more than half of the respondents agreed to the fact that a cluttered workspace negatively affected their state of mind and motivation. Also, around 77% of respondents admitted that a messy workspace impaired their productivity. 

Once you’ve cleaned your space, you can add a music player or air-filtering plants to optimize it further. In addition to these, make sure that you have a proper desk and a comfortable chair with good back support to sit and work. Keep snacks and other eatables at a distance, at a place where they aren’t within reach. Instead, sit with a bottle of water next to you.

3. Schedule your day - Stick to it!

Even though working from home does not essentially require you to get out of bed at specific hours and dress up for work, creating a structured schedule is known to boost productivity. Once you establish a routine and work according to it, you will be able to balance between your work and personal time. 

Figure out the times when you feel you can give your best shot at the said work. While at home, it isn't necessary to be a morning person. If you feel you are at your productive best at night, go for it! Schedule your day accordingly. 

To start your work hours, it is better to get off the bed as if it were a normal day where you’d most likely be heading to work. So, before you lay hands on your laptop, brush your teeth and take a shower and then get back to your dedicated workspace to start the day. This acts as a signal for the brain to start working.

4. Set boundaries 

Distraction from family is obvious when you work from home. To avoid that, you need to set boundaries and let them know about the hours when you will be working, when you wouldn’t like to be disturbed. On similar lines, set work hours too. Let your colleagues know about the time you will or will not be available for calls or messages. 

This must apply to your free time as well. Just because you are at home, you shouldn’t be working the entire day. Shut your email and messaging systems off once you are off work hours to take a break and relax. You can easily get back to all the unanswered messages and calls the next day.

5. Take breaks!

A study revealed that employees who take breaks in every 90 minutes are 50% more creative than the ones who didn’t take breaks at all. So, to up your A-game and give your best to the work at hand, it is always better to plug the chord off for a while and then switch the system back on again. This helps in regaining your energy and starting afresh with a renewed focus. 

Use this time to take a stroll in your garden, water your plants, do a light exercise, make yourself a cup of coffee or just refill your water bottle. You’ll realise that once you get back to your work, you will have a fresh perspective for looking at things and a zeal to get work done better and on time.

6. Avoid distractions

Distractions kill productivity. From checking your emails and messages constantly to getting calls from work, it diverts your attention from the task at hand and you lose your mind-space. You miss the thought that kept you hooked to the said work, thus, having to restart your system, all over again. This happens every time you check your inbox and answer calls.

To avoid distractions, keep your phone away when you are concentrating on something important. Let your work buddies know that you need time to focus and will be available once you are done with your work. Try putting some white noise on to cut yourself off from any other distraction that keeps popping up every now and then. 

7. Socialize

At home, you usually sit at your desk for innumerable hours, with minimal interactions with people around you. It gets worse in cases when you are working remotely. This might take a toll on your mental health, leading to stress, anxiety and even depression. 

So, once you settle in with your schedule and start working according to a routine, do not forget to stay in touch with family, friends and colleagues. Dedicate your time for conversations to feel connected and stay sane. Take time out for video chats and phone calls. We are fortunate to be brought up in a world where technology has made staying in touch a lot easier. Make use of that. 

While many of you are stepping into the corporate world with internships, virtually this year, these simple hacks might come in handy for you. Make the most of your time and stick to the essential tips and tricks to sail through! Good luck.