Successfully Working From Home

So for the last 9 months, most of us have been operating from home. I am hoping musicians have found some home recording program and a dedicated space to rehearse and record their newest creations. Now, let’s discuss how to get your business done at home.

FACTS:

• Most people spend 28% of their day on distractions.
• It takes 23 minutes to get back to your focus when a distraction occurs.
• You work more hours when you are working remotely and you are 46% more productive.
• Most of us spend 7.4 hours in front of a computer each day.
• Scheduling breaks, not caving into a distraction pause, will keep you focused and is good for both your body & mind.
• Having a dedicated space for your business work will cause you to be 89% more productive than doing it from your sofa.

Here is some more advice to make your work-at-home more productive.

        WORK TIME

• START EARLY! Depending on when you are most productive, most people find that starting early & conquering solitary tasks like working out career plans, writing, emailing & research to be most efficient.
• MINI DEADLINES. Some people like giving themselves mini-deadlines. (i.e. emailing new contacts, pitching for press releases or writing your blog). We are talking about giving yourself 30 to 60 minutes to work on the project in front of you. Knowing you are focusing on a specific task, can really get your brain ‘super’ focused.
• SCHEDULE YOUR DAY. It is really Ok to make a calendar and make a start and end time each day. I work doing computer work from about 8am to 10am then take a 15 minute breakfast break; work til about 1pm then another break. DON’T FORGET ABOUT HAVE 3 MEALS a day or 2 meals with some healthy snacks worked in. (Stay away from the chips & dip and drink more water…staying hydrated keeps your mind focused). Also, don’t forget to move out of your seat…I sometimes go to YouTube to find 5 to 8 minute yoga at your desk video OR just get up and do some stretches. Remember to pick a TIME TO END YOUR DAY. You can even schedule short days, to take some personal time and then add a Saturday or   Sunday morning work time, to make up for that personal time.                                                                                       
• COMMUNICATION
  • PERSONAL INTERACTION. Schedule your phone and virtual meetings in the afternoon if you can. We all still need to talk, communicate & feel connected to other human beings. Push yourself to verbally connect; sharing your thoughts and ideas will keep you motivated to continue work on your own.
  • OTHERS AT HOME. Whether you have one roommate or a full family at home with you, if you make your scheduled work times each day, communicates that to everyone in the house. Make a calendar and put it on the fridge….Announce it aloud, “I am in a zoom meeting for 30 minutes…keep it quiet!”…OR let everyone know, “When the DO NOT DISTURB sign is on the door, I am in work mode so handle the crisis on your own.”
  • EMAILING. I read that most people check their email 36 times a day. If your work depends on those emails, that is OK. But for most of us, we can choose to just answer emails a few times a day or pick a block of time to see what is there and do our urgent follow ups at the end of the day. Most email responses can wait 24 hours. BE IN CHARGE OF WHEN YOU NEED & WANT TO COMMUNICATE; you will get a lot more accomplished.
  • DON’T STAY IN YOUR PJs ALL DAY! It is OK to be in comfortable clothing but make yourself a bit more presentable in case you have a last minute virtual meeting is the way to go. I make sure I look presentable when doing my zoom classes…Hey! The zoom is recording after all! Sometimes just doing your hair & make up and putting on some office attire can really perk your spirits! Also, I have read that the most productive people make their beds before they start the day. It motivates you as you complete this first task of the day!                                                       
  • • DISTRACTIONS. I think the key to all distractions is scheduling your activities each day. If you focus your time, you can get things completed quicker!
      • • OTHERS AT HOME. Whether you have one roommate or a full family at home with you, if you make your scheduled work times each day, communicates that to everyone in the house. Make a calendar and put it on the fridge….Announce it aloud, “I am in a zoom meeting for 30 minutes…keep it quiet!”…OR let everyone know, “When the DO NOT DISTURB sign is on the door, I am in work mode so handle the crisis on your own.”
        • HOUSEHOLD CHORES. Cleaning your kitchen, making meals and even doing laundry can be a break for you OR can destroy your day. If you are using the 1 hour dryer alarm to signal it is time for a break that is using your time wisely. If you take an hour out of a busy schedule to start preparing a big dinner and it takes you an hour to prep, do that the night before and get a crock-pot or pressure cooker! Don’t let the house be your excuse to run away from your ‘to do’ list!
        • NOISE. Your home has a lot of different, and sometimes, uncontrollable noises. You can’t control when the gardener decides to use the leaf blower outside your office window, but you could ask them to pick a block of time to do their work and schedule your zoom meeting around that schedule. Then we have kids teasing and playing loudly, TV blasting or someone talking WAY to loud on their speakerphone. Get some headphones to cancel the noise or play motivational background music that helps you concentrate on the item at hand.
        • PERSONAL. Kids, pets, and personal phone calls all can be schedule into your day. It is OK to see who is calling, if you can resist picking up the phone. Let your family and friends know you are scheduling work times. You may have to remind people a few times, but STAND YOUR GROUND! and those around you will start respecting your schedule.The above are just some ways to make a work-at-home really work for you. It is all about planning your days effectively and setting boundaries with anyone else residing in your abode.If you have other suggestions, we would love to hear from you.“Plan your days and you will get more done leaving you with even more personal time to conquer a new hobby, spend time with loved ones or maybe even write more songs!”