How To Stay Organized At Home When Working From Home

Even though the COVID-19 brought a lot of bad things to the world, it transformed the workplace for the better. Remote work has become widely accepted, and this allows employees from all over the world to connect digitally. Virtual workplaces minimize the commute cost, as well as the rent of an office or workplace. On top of that, working from home allows you to organize your day however you like!

However, there is one significant downside of remote work: people have trouble staying focused and organized when working from home! Since remote work provides them with a comfortable and relaxed environment, many individuals struggle to keep their days organized. Such a lack of structure leads to decreased productivity and efficiency, which may also include procrastination. So, how can you beat your laziness and stay organized while working from home?

1. Keep Your Space Tidy

One of the first rules of successful remote work is having designated space for working. Surely working from bed seems like a fantastic idea, however, will you be truly efficient? Even though you can make an exception once or twice, you need to have a proper space where you'll work. So, consider creating a home office or a simple work corner you'll use solely for your job.

You know what they say messy desk messy mind! Even though some people thrive in such an environment if you'd like to stay organized, keep your workplace clean. This includes decluttering as well as cleaning. Recycle the papers you don't need and keep the cables and chargers away. On top of that, keep your desktop tidy as well, it will help you find your way around faster.

2. Try Out Different Routines

One of the best things about working from home is not having to be formal at all times. You can kick back and relax while finishing up important tasks. Additionally, you can sit in pajamas all day if you’d like. However, that can be dreadful for your productivity. Therefore, trying out different routines will help you decide what works the best for you.

Whether you like to dress formally even though you’re sitting at home, go for a run before work or have some family time with your loved ones, this all can help your organization. If you have the freedom to organize your work hours however you like, you can create a schedule with hours when you’re the most productive. Not everyone thrives from 9 to 5!

3. Create To-Do Lists

To keep your days organized, writing a to-do list seems intuitive. However, many people make the mistake of not immediately writing down the tasks they need to do! Once you’ve been assigned a task, write it down. It will help you remember it, as well as have some clarification on how you should do it and what’s asked of you. Each night before you head to bed, or morning before you start your day, go through your notes and sort out the tasks you need to do during the day. Keep an eye on deadlines. On top of that, don't put too many tasks on your schedule. Try to estimate the time you'll need for each task, and stick to it!

4. Learn How To Prioritize

If you've creates an excessive to-do list and don't know what to do first, it's time to learn how to prioritize! Prioritization is a simple yet essential soft skill each employee no matter the position should obtain. It can help you sort out the assignments during the day and tackle the to-do list in no time! So, how can you learn it? Instead of wasting your money on a time management course, consider simple techniques that have helped many. Create for windows and label each with a combination of urgent- not urgent, important- not important. Tasks that are urgent and important should be done immediately. Consider delegating urgent, but not so important tasks to a colleague. Do important yet not urgent later, and try to avoid wasting time on those that aren't urgent nor important. That's how you'll keep your days and tasks organized.

5. Plan Your Breaks

When working from home, planing breaks is essential for your organization and schedule. Since we're not machines and can't work all the time, you can't expect yourself to be productive at all times! That's why taking frequent breaks is vital for your health as well as efficiency. Therefore, planning breaks in your schedule can help you get a more realistic grasp of what you'll be able to do during the day.

Even though the need for breaks vary from person to person, try to have more than 2 and less than 8 breaks during the workday. Occasional breaks are advised for professionals working from home. If you take breaks too frequently, you'll quickly lose your focus. Opposed to that, if you don't take enough breaks, you'll burn out faster. Breaks can be an ideal period for you to have a chat with family, do quick chores, or stretch!

6. Limit The Distractions

The biggest time-eater has got to be various distractions. We can agree that working from home has numerous benefits, however, home is where we can find many distractions. Dirty laundry? Did dishes pile up in the sink? Crying children? Phone notifications? These and many more distractions can keep you from fulfilling your tasks. So, you'll need to limit the distractions!

If you don’t use your phone for work, consider keeping it on the do not disturb mode and keep your notifications off. We spend over 4 hours daily consuming content from social media, so turn your WIFI and mobile data off when working. On top of that, emails can be distracting as well! So, set a certain time during the day when you’ll reply to those and focus on the work.

7. Mind The Noise

Let's face it, if you have children, housemates, or family living with you, absolute silence won't be possible! Even though most people find it irritating to work around others, especially if they are used to their own spaces and offices, you simply can't keep your household quiet during work hours! So, instead of wasting time on being stuck in the loop, focus on the solution. What can you do?

If you can't create a private space for a home office, finding ways to cancel out the noise will be your best option. So, consider getting noise-canceling headphones that will provide you with the peace you need. On top of that, you can try listening to calming and non-distracting music, such as those meant for meditation. Such music can help you improve your focus and cancel out the background noises.

8. Use Tools To Help You

Some of the biggest issues regarding organization can be settled through various apps and tools that can ease the process. Various note-taking and time management apps, such as Pomodoro can help you organize your day better and remind you of crucial tasks you need to complete. But besides time management, you can organize other aspects of your life, such as your social contacts.

We all use one of the most popular social media platforms- Facebook. It provides us with a place to chat and get in touch with people. However, we can agree that this platform is not as formal as it should be for the work context. Consider using Workplace by Facebook alternatives as they are more professional, easy to use, and keep your employees engaged. Additionally, you can chat with your colleagues and quickly share important information without jeopardizing your work schedule and to-do lists.

9. Meal Prepping Is The Way To Go

Organizing your day shouldn't only revolve around work. Besides work and breaks, you need to take care of your physical and mental needs, which includes having lunch! Whether you live by yourself, with a partner, or have a family, you all need to eat at least three times during the day. But you can't simply cut work to cook a meal, can you?

Therefore for your organization meal prepping is vital. Cook the food the night before for the next day and prepare the snacks when you get up. Use boxes to label your food and keep your fridge organized. Also, you can ask your household for some help when it comes to meal prepping, which will give you additional time to rest or work.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, working from home can be a dream come true or a vivid nightmare; it all depends on how you organize your time. Even though you might not be efficient at first, use these tips to improve your work and time management skills. To make the pros outweigh the cons, always stick to your schedule and prioritize your tasks. That's how you'll stay organized at work as well as in your private life!

Keep in mind that mental health is crucial therefore if you feel like you're losing focus again, or struggling to work productively, take some time off if you can as burnout can lead to serious consequences. Work-life balance is essential for time management and your overall well-being.