8 Practical Ways to Beat the Common Productivity Killers When Working From Home

Working from home does come with advantages. It gives you the flexibility to finish your tasks at any time of the day. It also allows you to get things done the way you see fit.

Most of all, you can complete your tasks anytime, anywhere. It does not matter whether you are in your coffee shop or on your kitchen counter. You can even travel while working at the same time.

But to be an efficient remote employee can be challenging. It is easy to become distracted, fall into a rut, and lose track of tasks that could kill your productivity.

In this post, we will walk you through seven practical ways to beat the common productivity killers when working from home:

1. Noisy Environment

As you work your way throughout the day, you might notice that your background noise can take a toll on your productivity.

Kids or pets can barge in your room, or your spouse or partner can check in from time to time. No matter the cause of this noise, this distraction makes it even more challenging for you to stay focused.

A great tip is to wear headphones or earplugs to keep these distractions at bay.

2. Mobile Phones

Your mobile phone is another distraction when working from home. You may pick up your phone to check a message, and the next thing you know, you are already sucked in social media posts.

You may also make the mistake of checking your phone too much. Losing your productivity because you are using your phone too much might be a common problem.

3. Untidy Workstation

A cluttered workstation can kill your productivity in more ways than one.

Looking for the items that you need despite the mess can be a huge productivity killer and time waster. It is because excess clutter in your workspace at home can siphon all the brainpower that you need to focus on the task at hand.

That said, Planet Maids House Cleaning NYC recommends that you dedicate some time to organizing your workspace. Doing so helps you improve your workflow, boost your productivity, and reduce stress.

You should file all your relevant documents. Place your books in a bookshelf. Throw out items that you no longer need.

Wash used coffee mugs, food containers, as well as old wrappers. Also, see to it that all your essential items are well-stocked and are within your reach.

4. Household Chores

While it is tempting to run the dishwasher or take a break from mopping the floor, these house chores can break your focus. Moreso when you are doing it in-between work.

Just like with anything else, you should dedicate a specific time to do these tasks. It is not advisable to mix house chores with your work routine.

5. Watching Too Much TV

The television is one of the significant distractions when working from home. Although some people can manage to watch TV while doing their work, it can be distracting.

That said, you should schedule your TV viewing for later when you can finish your tasks.

6. Aimless Web Browsing

A lot of people are guilty of this: Aimlessly browsing the web or social media feed in-between work.

What happens is that you will think of something and then search about it online. The next thing you know, you are browsing through a Wikipedia page we did not know in the first place.

That's why it is essential to limit your web browsing habits during work breaks. Doing so helps you come up with a resolution to stick to a couple of websites. That way, you will not end up focusing on something unimportant.

7. Hunger

Make sure that you take frequent breaks so that your hunger will not distract you from your tasks.

Your appetite does not only make it difficult for you to concentrate. It can also dampen your mood. Apart from that, it reduces your energy to be productive and complete your work.

That's why you must take your lunch break even if you are working from home. It would help if you also stocked some healthy snacks at your desk that does not create that mess.

8. Multitasking

Multitasking creates an illusion that you have split yourself from doing two things and not being able to do both effectively. That's why you must focus on doing one task at a time.

Concentrating on a single task allows you to finish your work a lot quicker so that you can also do other tasks at hand.

Wrap Up

As you can see, your productivity can suffer because of the most common distractions listed in this post. Mind you; these distractions are rampant when you are working from home.

Taking the time to notice these productivity killers allows you to prevent them from happening. That way, you can manage your time better and be more productive.