How To Maximize Productivity While Working From Home

Yes, we know. You’ve seen this article a hundred times by now: Put the phone down, make a dedicated home office, so on and so forth.

We’re not here to try and tell you something you already know. We’ve scoured the web (and our own brains) to find some unique ideas to bring to you.

Here are our favorite picks on how to maximize productivity while working from home.

Remove All Distractions

Most articles focus on smartphones. We’re here to talk about the real source of distraction at home – your family.

Whether it’s your spouse, kids, or even a friend who’s been crashing on your couch, people can be massive distractions. Set up some ground rules with them so that they won’t bother you while you’re working.

If your kids are old enough, allow them to be independent during your work hours. If they’re too young to do that, consider hiring a part-time nanny.

The point is, you need time to hunker down and work. If it’s actually impossible to go the whole eight hours without someone needing something from you, try to set aside a specific amount of time where you can focus.

Find the Right Smell

We’ve all heard of setting up an area that feels like a workspace, not a home space. You may have even heard that trying to mimic the sounds of an office can help.

However, you can take this reasoning further by adjusting the fragrance in the air as well. The goal is to immerse yourself in your at-home office.

If the smell of coffee or a specific scent of a candle does that for you, bring them in!

Try “Commuting” Again

No, we don’t mean that you should hop in your car and take a couple of laps around the block. What you should do is mimic your old morning routine. Try going for a run or performing a simple workout before the workday starts.

Do something to get the blood flowing. The main goal is to avoid rolling out of bed and going straight to work. That kills your early morning productivity since you’re barely awake.

Stand Up for a While

Our final tip on how to maximize productivity while working from home is an intriguing one. There have been many studies lately that demonstrate that standing up while working can help increase productivity.

Now, we’re not saying to go out and buy a standing desk right away, but we do recommend that you give it a try.

Work for an hour at a high counter. See how it feels. If you like it but still don’t want to commit to a new desk, there are accessories that you can buy for your current desk that artificially raise its height for standing purposes.

If you don’t notice any difference, try combining this with some old-school productivity techniques. One that we tested out and liked was the Pomodoro Technique.

It pairs quite nicely with a standing desk since you don’t have to remain standing for long periods. If that one doesn’t work, there are plenty of others out there to try.