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Working at home gives people the flexibility to be at home, while still being able to collect a paycheck. But, does working at home automatically make you get more done?
Many people dream of being able to stumble out of bed and begin their workday. They argue that since they don’t have the commute, they can start right away and essentially work during the time others would be using to commute.
The argument is that it’s less stressful not to have that commute hanging over them.
Being able to spend more time with your family is another benefit people associate with working from home. You can be home when your kids come home from school. You’ll be able to go their afterschool activities such as sports games.
People who work at home learn that it has unintended challenges associated with it. For instance, while it’s nice to be around your family, are they letting you get your work done? Are you spending too much time with your family that is taking away from your responsibilities to your job?
You need to work with your family to set up boundaries. This means you should dedicate a space like an office that you use to work. When you are in the office, your family needs to understand that interruptions are off limits, unless it’s an emergency.
You will also need to handle interruptions by neighbors that may visit. While many of your neighbors will be commuting to work, there are more people working from home today.
This increases the chances that some of your neighbors are working from home as well. It’s tempting when you see them outside, to see what they are up to, etc. It’s okay to do this once in a while, but don’t let it interrupt your job.
Job burnout can happen just as easily when working from home as it does when you commute to the office. In fact, companies may expect more of you when you work at home and your time is going to be more scrutinized.
You may end up working more hours even when you factor in the lack of commuting. Your boss may be inclined to call you up after work hours and ask you to handle some tasks.
If they do this to all employees, then you may not be able to do much to change that. However, if they are singling you out because you work at home and they believe this gives them permission to call upon you, this may be something you need to handle.
So, as you can see, there are some disadvantages to working from home too. However, if you are working from home, it pays to stick to a routine and be organized and the following tips may help.
9 Tips To Help You Stay Organized
Being organized should be a way of life and second nature to you.
That way it’s a habit rather than a chore. Of course it takes time and effort to create the habit in the first place but once you’ve achieved it you want to stay that way.
These nine tips will help you to stay organized every day with very little effort or fuss.
Check In
Start your day by checking your schedule and your to do list.
It may be that you’ve thought of something you need to add.
Prioritize your to do list so that you tackle the important items first.
Plan
As well as your to do list you should plan your day.
Include calls, meetings, chores and goals. You can use pen and paper, a planner (a bullet journal is ideal) or a planning app.
Don’t forget to include scheduled breaks. Make sure to include time for friends and family.
The F.A.R. Rules
The F.A.R. Rules are essential for helping you to stay organized. They apply equally to your personal life as your business.
File it – if it’s important and needs to be kept (either in paper or electronic form) then file it immediately.
Act on it – if something needs to have action taken for example, paying a bill or making a call, then do it immediately. Then either file or recycle it.
Recycle it – whether it’s junk mail or papers and items you’ve finished with, recycle it immediately once it’s no longer needed.
These rules applies to emails as well as paperwork. By following them you can keep your inbox under control.
Digital Aids
At times technology can be a distraction but there are some items that can help you become and stay productive.
However, choose your devices and solutions with care so that you don’t create more of a problem for yourself.
You may decide that an app to monitor your health and fitness would be a good idea to keep you on track with your goals.
There are also menu planning apps, scheduling, time and project management, as well as household organization apps.
Track
To be successful with your organization skills you need to track and monitor your progress. What’s working and what’s not?
Be prepared to make changes and adjustments to how you do things.
Just because one method of organizing your closet doesn’t work for you it doesn’t mean that another won’t.
Trash It
Don’t keep things for the sake of it.
If it’s not useful or necessary, then throw it out. If you are keeping it then remember to put it away.
That way you keep your surroundings free from clutter and distractions.
Identify
Keep a track of what works for you and keep on doing it.
If something hasn’t been successful then identify what needs to be changed and do it that way the following day.
5 Minute Review
Just like you started your day, end your day with a five minute review.
Celebrate your accomplishments and cross off everything you’ve achieved from your to do list. Remove any inessential or unimportant tasks that are still remaining.
Whatever is left should be added to the next day’s list.
To Do List
Create your to do list for the following day. Include any important tasks that you didn’t complete that day and only important items that need to be done.
Try and limit your list to 10 items or less so that you don’t feel overwhelmed or end the day with a list of unaccomplished items.
Becoming and staying organized doesn’t happen overnight and it does require regular effort. However, you can stay on track by following these nine tips. You can be organized every day with a little planning, time and effort.
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