1. Plan Your Day

Choosing you'll sit down at your work area and begin work at a certain time is one thing. Making a schedule that guides you into the chair is another. What in your morning schedule demonstrates you're around to begin work? It may well be making a cup of coffee. It might be returning home after a run. It may be getting dressed (wearing pajama pants to work). A schedule can be more effective than a clock at making a difference you get started each day.

Now, once you're sat at your desk, the first thing you should do at work is of course, to check your daily schedule. Whether you're tied up with a big project that lasts days or you have several tasks to carry out throughout the day, you should be following what's been planned. Although you never know what's going to happen during the day; there may be an urgent customer order or problems with systems and things may not go smoothly according to the plan. But at least you should be clear what you're supposed to do.

You don't need to have a particular daily scheduler app. You can simply use Google Calendar, for example. Take a quick look at your daily plan and type in any important tasks that you have to complete with the deadline.

2. Take Regular Breaks

It sounds counterintuitive, but taking scheduled breaks can actually help improve concentration. Some research has shown that taking short breaks during long tasks helps you to maintain a constant level of performance; while working at a task without breaks leads to a steady decline in performance. You can use the Pomodoro technique, when you concentrate on your work for 25 min, then you take 5 minutes break to let your concentration rest. After your break you come back to your work for the next 25 minutes. 

3. Set Ground Rules With the Individuals in Your Space

Set ground rules with your family members or whoever shares your space for the time you’re working. For example, if you have children who come home from school whereas you're still working, it may be a good idea to agree on what they can and cannot do during that time. Also, you're home all the time does not mean your family members can expect you to do all the chores, look after the pets and keep an eye on everything that's happening in your house. In case, that's how you select to divide up the household labor, that's fine, but if you basically take it all on by default since you're home, you will feel taken advantage of, and your efficiency may suffer.

Also Read: COVID-19 Survival Kit [5 Steps To Multiple Streams Of Income]

4. Make Sure All Your Tools Are In Working Order

It's important to make sure you're using the right office equipment, the most up-to-date software, also to make sure all the cloud tools are easily accessible and secure.

If you work for yourself, it may be a good idea to create a list of physical equipment (screen, keyboard, mouse, chair, printer, etc.) and software tools (mail applications, graphic software, and all other web-based login details). The last thing you want is to let technical failures or equipment malfunction to interrupt your working hours.

Whereas if you're employed by a company or organization that supports your work-from-home setup, you should be provided with all the office equipment that's in line with the health and safety regulations. Organizations that are acclimated to remote workers frequently have a budget for domestic office gear. Ask what it is and how often it's renewed. It also doesn't harm to ask whether there's a credit agreement or who will pay for return shipping or disposal of outdated equipment.

5. Turn off notifications

No one can be expected to resist the allure of an email, voicemail, or text notification. During work hours, turn off your notifications, and instead build in time to check email and messages. This is all part of being proactive rather than reactive!

6. Set priorities 

When it comes to organization skills, there’s no universal solution, so you’ll have to discover what works for you. Knowing when to stop is just as vital as knowing how to proceed. You’ll never run out of things to do when working from home. Using a grid such as the priority matrix can help you to organize your tasks into their appropriate categories: 

7. Be Positive

How you can stay "feeling positive" is subjective, but when you're working alone and self-focused in your own space, anything can let you down; misunderstandings, one bad customer feedback, or any non-work related issues. It will help if you proactively try to find out what works for you to stay positive during the day, such as;

• Meeting up with friends for lunch
• Exercise, stretch your back every hour
• Making positive affirmations to yourself regularly.

8. End Your Day With a Routine 

Just as you should begin your day with a routine, make a habit that signals the end of the workday. Open your daily scheduler again and make sure you've completed your job according to the plan. Move forward any unfinished business to the next day, or any time you think is the earliest conveniences. Reference it to the priority matrix that I explained in No. 6. Perhaps you can flag it so that you'll know that the particular job is already delayed.

It can be a sign off on a business messaging app, making sure scheduled social posts, or checking off your task list. Something as basic as closing down your computer and turning on a favorite podcast will do. Anything you select, do it consistently to stamp the conclusion of working hours.

Conclusion

It’s simple to blend your work life together with your personal life when working from home. To overcome this, try to get into a standard work schedule rather like you were going into the office each day. Set clear start and stop times as well as breaks throughout the day. All of these steps will help get you into a working mindset and keep you focused throughout the day.