4 Tips to Overcome Distractions While Working From Home *

*Collaborative Post.

Everyone dreams of staying organised when working from home, but this is easier said than done. Your home is full of distractions, and many people would argue there are even more distractions than your usual office. But, these distractions can affect productivity and performance, which can cause significant issues for your business. Check out these tips to help you overcome distractions and boost your efficiency while working from home.  

Establish Working Hours 

Professionals working from home make one major mistake when they set up an office in their spare room or kitchen. They do not set boundaries and establish working hours. As the commute is over and there are other things to do around the house, they can fall behind because they’ve tricked themselves into thinking they have all the time in the world. Unfortunately, they don’t. So, setting working hours will give you a set time to sit at your desk and it also lets your family know you are working and informs them not to disturb you. A closed door or Do Not Disturb sign can establish these boundaries more effectively. 

Remove Things You Don’t Need to Work

You’re used to having your phone with you at all times, but unless you use your phone to contact clients or speak with your coworkers, you don’t need it beside you throughout the day. Even the slightest slump in your workday can draw you to your phone screen where you scroll through news and social media. Suddenly, you’ve lost a good chunk of time. Keeping your phone in another room will prevent distractions while blocking time-wasting websites (Reddit, Twitter, TikTok) will keep you focused on the work in front of you. 

Clear Physical and Mental Clutter 

Your home is likely full of stuff that doesn’t have anywhere else to go. But, this can cause substantial distractions while working, so you need to find a solution. For physical clutter like boxes of clothes or old books, self storage solves your problems. You can also develop a routine of washing the dishes and cleaning the house. Cleaning pots and pans as soon as you’ve used them can reduce the pile in the sink which eliminates the mental clutter of knowing you have something else to do. 

Allow Yourself a Break

No one should work all day long. You need to give yourself a break and allow yourself to switch off for a little bit before getting back to work. A common approach is to work for around 50 minutes and take a 15-minute break. But, everyone is different, so experiment and find things that work for you. It’s also worth taking this opportunity to catch up on other housework, but don’t get too involved that you’re away from your desk for longer than you want or need to be. 

No Distractions 

Eliminating distractions is not possible. There will always be something to do or noise outside cannot escape. Still, you can find ways to overcome other distractions around the house and maintain your productivity. These tips can establish a fantastic foundation to make any remote working experience successful.