How to eliminate distractions when working from home

Remote work is clearly on the rise – employers are increasingly ready to accept the fact that just because workers don’t come in to the office, doesn’t mean they’re slacking off all day. Working from home has many benefits, from saving time and money otherwise spent on commuting, to flexible schedules – but they all come at a price. Switching from ‘home’ to ‘work’ mode is a serious challenge faced by those who work from home. Here are some strategies to deal with potential distractions and ensure that every day is a productive one.

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Establish a schedule

Creating a schedule and following it diligently is the best strategy to avoid distractions. Divide your day into several blocks, allowing time for breaks and other responsibilities.

A schedule will give you a clear idea about what you need to do and what your deadlines are. Once you feel that your daily schedule is working, you can extend it to cover the entire week. Having a weekly and monthly schedule is great for making sure all your tasks are completed on time.

Take regular breaks

In order to stay focused and productive, our body needs regular breaks from work. When it comes to breaks, being at home is a great advantage – you can take a walk outside or have a quick strategic nap.

Recharging your batteries is important for maintaining a rhythm throughout the day. If you feel tired in the afternoon, you risk becoming easily distracted.

Manage your communications

Communication devices and software are very useful, but can become a terrible distraction. Make sure you always choose the best medium to achieve your goals – explaining something over email can take a lot of your time, in contrast to a quick and detailed phone call.

Try to dedicate a specific time for your use of communication software like email and chat programs – allow 5-10 minutes of every hour for checking your email, for example. Phone calls can often be the most distracting of all – use a caller ID and let unimportant messages go straight to voicemail. It’s also important to avoid making personal calls while working – gossip is a dangerous distraction!

Establish work-at-home rules

When working at home, you may become easily distracted by people surrounding you. To manage this distraction, set clear rules and share them with the people who share the space with you when you’re working.

Social media and web browsing

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For many people, social media is the single most dangerous distraction. So is the web in general! We all love to check in on the social buzz and spend time browsing news platforms, but without anyone supervising you, the best idea is to limit use of these highly distracting websites.

Try RescueTime or StayFocusd to analyze how you spend time on the web and block those websites that are eating into your time the most.

Working from home is challenging, but in the end it can be really rewarding. If you consider all of these measures to avoid the most persistent distractions, you’ll find yourself becoming more productive than ever.

Kelly Smith is a dedicated tutor and writer. Currently, she develops her passion at Career FAQs, one of the leading providers of career and educational resources in Australia, where she provides career advice for students and job seekers.