Tips to make working from home more productive.

The home office trend is gradually gaining ground as more people are jumping on this trend for various reasons. If you are currently living in an urban area, you will know that rented spaces come at a premium, it is only logical to adopt working from home as it not only saves hours that could be lost in traffic due to commuting, but is also a cost saving option for most entrepreneurs and start-ups.

As with any other trend, issues have been raised as some people find it hard to remain productive working from home due to one distraction or the other while others find themselves working around the clock with little to no time left for other activities.

Here are a few tips and tricks that will help maintain productivity and manage any other challenges that may arise while working from home without sacrificing your personal time.

First thing you should do is get a desk; a proper working desk. Working from a sofa or the kitchen table is counter-productive especially if you’ll be having clients over. The desk should be spacious enough to accommodate your working tools (PC/desktop, printer/photocopier, telephone, file and stationary organizers etc.) Depending on the space you have at home, an additional desk on the side or a cupboard will come in handy and will help you with organizing. A good ergonomic chair should accompany your desk/table to avoid long term physical implications.

Secondly, having a display of your business name on the table or wall can immediately create that official feel to your working area. In addition, putting up framed copies of your certificates and displaying your awards could work well in giving your clients a sense of credibility.

The third tip is to create a working schedule. Having proper office times will help you plan your day to day activities and ensure you manage your working hours judiciously. It will also help you check your performance and clients will be impressed with your time management skills (especially when they have to book an appointment before showing up).

Inspiration is very important for any kind of work or business. Putting an image of what inspires you, an item that motivates and gives you drive to achieve your goals will do well in making you more productive.

Define your office space to help create privacy. This can be achieved by arranging shelving in an enclosing manner or using partition (there are numerous types of partition available from glass to fabric to funky screens to wood etc.). If you have a spare room where you use as an office, limiting access will help keep you focused. Your work area is strictly meant for business and should not attract kids or nosy home visitors who may accidentally spill stuff on your work or pry into confidential documents. To be on a safer side, keep all files securely locked and out of reach.

Having proper lighting in your work space is very important as bad lighting affects mood and dampens creativity. A table or floor lamp will work well as a direct light source and positioning your desk next to the window is perfect as it brings in natural light and great views!

Finally, working from home doesn’t mean you should compromise your comfort. Adding a personal touch to your working area be it a plush rug or pillows (having something soft to rub against while doing that hard brain work is always a plus!) or images of loved ones will go a long way in improving productivity.