Working from home comes with many perks and productivity challenges alike.  Whether you’re your own boss, or your job is flexible, balancing the benefits and distractions is essential to maintaining optimal productivity.

Benefits of Working from Home

Saving Time and Money

Aside from being able to do it in your pajamas, working from home has many benefits.  Saving time and money by eliminating commuting is a big one.  Using the time you would have spent in rush hour traffic getting actual work done, can greatly impact your productivity.

Speaking of saving money, working from home saves your employer by not having to over-invest in office space, cubicles and furniture.  This can potentially mean more money to fund projects and pay raises.  Also, think of all the money you’ll save by not going out to lunch, grabbing drive thru breakfast when you’re running late or weekly splurges on overpriced coffee breaks.

Work/Life Balance

Creating an optimal work/life balance is one of our biggest goals and challenges as Productivity Consultants.  If having the flexibility to work from home, (even just one day a week) helps to get you there, we will always recommend it.  Being able to get your kids on and off the school bus or to a dentist appointment without sacrificing your work schedule can make a world of a difference in maintaining the balance you need in your life.

Challenges of Working from Home

Distractions are definitely the number one obstacle to productivity when working from home.  For this reason, working from home takes a lot of discipline.  If your housework is distracting you too much from your professional work, this doesn’t necessarily mean working from home isn’t for you.  Like any changes in the workplace, working from home will have an adjustment period.

Here are a few tips to help you be successful while working from home.

5 Tips for Maintaining Productivity While Working From Home

1. Have a Work Space.  This one is 100% necessary if you’re even considering working from home.  Whether it’s a full home office, or a designated corner of a room, you need a workspace with a desk.  Not only will this keep you organized, but it will also help other people in your home know not to disturb you when you’re in your space.
2. Have a Schedule.  Even if you make your own hours, it helps to have a somewhat regular schedule.  This will prevent cutting into your workday if you need to schedule personal events or take care of household duties.  It will also let your co-workers know when you’re available.
3. Stay Connected.  Maybe one of your work-from-home perks is not having to constantly interact with other human beings.  Even if that sounds like you, it’s still important to be available to your team, to respond to emails in a timely manner and schedule face-to-face interactions periodically.
4. Get Dressed.  Speaking of your pajamas…as lovely as it sounds to stay in your pjs all day, this could actually be draining your productivity.  Showering and putting on actual clothes will help your brain understand that you are, in fact, at work.
5. Make Your Bed.  Studies have shown that people who make their beds in the morning are generally more productive throughout the day.  On that same topic, if you need to take 30 minutes to tidy up around your house, so it’s not on your mind all day – Do it!  Seeing that pile of breakfast dishes from your desk will absolutely limit your focus.

Whether you choose to work from home one day a week or full time, being able to manage distractions is the key to maintaining productivity.  With the right set-up and a regular routine, working from home can have a positive impact on you, your family and your career.