If you have ever worked from home you will know that some hardcore self-discipline has to be used on yourself to get work done.
But a lot of people simply don’t have this, and they find it hard to even sit down for 2 hours and complete nonstop work. This is easier said than done.
However you can learn how to do it, and over the many years of working at home I have discovered some of the best ways to get work completed so I have a lot of work done in the day, maximizing my relaxation time.
Keep reading to see how you can maximize your work production so your self-discipline will grow and inevitably be stronger than ever.
Have A To-Do List
A to-do list is essential to have for anyone who wants to get something done (not just in the office). Write down your days work as soon as you wake up.
I have actually been setting out my entire weeks workload and finding that it works better for me. When you have your work finished for the week you have the rest of it to relax, a few days at least.
Figure out what works better for you, doing a to-do list for the day or the whole week.
Set Work Hours
I know you don’t like to set hours because that’s what normal jobs do. However if you have your own hours set, I find that it is more of a push in the right direction more than anything.
This will force you to start at those hours and help you finish your to-do list by the dead line. You are pretty much challenging yourself and in the process, getting a lot of work done.
Minimize Distractions…
Or get rid of them altogether. Distractions are a real burden on you and your success.
With hundreds of distractions around us everyday, you should be working in overdrive to try and cut them out. A home office on the other end of the room is one way to do it.
But then again, Social Media platforms and funny videos on the internet are also huge distractions. This is where your self-discipline will be put to the test.
Take Breaks
Working nonstop without taking breaks is a recipe for disaster. If you work for 2 hours straight then please take a 20 minute break, AT LEAST.
This will stop headaches occurring and will keep you motivated to keep going.
I’ve tried to work nonstop before and it only made it harder for me to work the next day because I was burned out. So resting is just as important as working, remember that.
Have A Clean Work Space
It might not sound that serious, by having a clean working area you are making it easier for you to find things that you need in a fast manner.
Hence why the kitchen table might be a bad idea (where everything can just get cluttered).
If you find yourself digging in the drawer for a pen or lifting up papers off your desk all day trying to find the right document, then you need to reorganize your set up.
Consider a bigger desk or find a better place to store some unnecessary stuff.
Quit Multitasking
It may sound counterintuitive, but multitasking just makes your brain work harder which can result in lost time and productivity.
I would rather you commit to one task at a time and complete that one before moving on to the next. Try it next time, you will amazed at how quickly you can get it done.
Stop Chasing Perfection
The reality is that nothing is perfect. You’re more productive when you learn to bang out a task to the best of your ability and then move on.
This ‘perfect’ illusion can be a burden on your work flow, especially for perfectionists.
Always remember that you can leave it once it is complete. If it needs improving later on then you can come back to it and adjust it or make it better.
Conclusion
Even though working from home is the best job in the world, it takes a huge amount of self-discipline to actually get work done.
I find that the easiest way to do it is to just dive in without thinking about it, before you know it you have completed a ton of work for the day and because you had no distractions and you were 100% focused, you done more work than you thought.
But that’s just me, and everyone’s different. Maybe you’ll get to that level of expertise one day 😛
If you follow the tips I have outlined above I have no doubts that you can get more work completed than you are currently doing, and in a much faster time too.
Sometimes it takes someone to tell you that you are not being productive to realize that you’re wasting a lot of time. Take a step back and look at your current situation.
Are you really being productive?
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I definitely agree with your tip to set work hours for yourself. Getting yourself into a routine each day will really help your productivity. It’s easy to procrastinate work when you work from home, but having a schedule set where you get things done by a certain time will help you to feel more efficient and have more time to do the other things that are important to you.
Procrastination is a killer and if you can’t own up to it, you’re only hurting yourself. Efficiency is what’s important and I completely agree with you there Georgia. Thanks for sharing!