Working from home opens a world of possibilities and can make you more productive than ever before. However, with the freedom of working remotely, it’s easy for distractions to get in the way. When we work out of an office, it’s hard for unproductive activities to affect other co-workers. When remote working, your to-do list is often only as long as your own attention span allows.
While it might seem as if distractions are only a problem for people who work in an office, the effects of distractions are more widespread than you might think. For instance, more than 1 in 10 millennials have admitted to being distracted when working at home.
Top Tip To Avoid Distractions
Before we get into the top distractions, our big tip is to create a space that is separate and can be a dedicated work area. For example, Ecorooms.co.uk offers a range of garden rooms that are ideal as an office space.
If you find yourself distracted at the office and are contemplating working from home, here are five different types of distractions that you’ll face in your home office to keep in mind:
1. Television
How often do you catch the latest episode of ‘House of Cards’ or ‘Orange is the New Black?’ More than half of workers who work from home admit to watching TV while working. This can lead to lost productivity for your business.
2. Social Media
Twitter and Facebook are both great places to connect with people, but they can also be distracting. In fact, nearly 1 in 10 workers admit to checking their phone during conference calls or meetings, which results in a drop of 50% in productivity.
3. Childcare
Letting the dog out or making sure your children are tucked away in bed can be a tedious task, but it must be done. If you need to check on the progress of your child’s school project or if you need to do the family laundry, there are plenty of ways for that time to crawl by.
4. Food
Let’s face it, food is delicious, and working from home means you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want! This type of freedom can be especially tempting when eating out of boredom, which can easily lead to mindless snacking throughout the day. Not only is this bad for your waistline, but it can also disrupt your workflow.
5. Housework
While every employee has to clean up after themselves, working from home might make this task much more difficult. From dusting, vacuuming, and mopping floors to cleaning the toilet, dishes, or taking out the trash, there are plenty of ways for this chore to overwhelm you.
Although it’s impossible to eliminate all distractions while working from home, you can decrease the frequency of certain distractions.
Delicate Time For Work & Time For Chores
Have a fixed work schedule, and make sure that everyone in the household knows. Establish these times with your family and have a good think about how much time you need for work and how much time for chores.
Keep It Clean & Simple
You can never have enough desk space, so make sure you have some extra room to work and a clean and clear space. If the clutter is hard to avoid, keep only the things you need on your desktop. One neat trick is to put everything that is not needed in a box under or next to your desk.
The world of remote work is changing, and more than ever, companies are seeking ways to allow their employees to work from home.
These tips will help you find a balance between office and home life. If you’re stuck at home feeling unproductive or suffering from inactivity, follow these simple suggestions for staying engaged at work.
