How to Increase Productivity When Working From Home

Welcome back to the Smallpdf series on how to not go crazy and stay productive while working remotely. Here are some more tips on how to increase productivity.

Working from home can be great and really helpful. Many people are actively looking for positions offering flexible working hours as well as a generally flexible model. As presence in the office is not always needed or helpful with regards to productivity, many companies around the world allow for an average of two days a week to be available for home office. But just like colleagues at the office can be a distraction, your own four walls can be quite the productivity killers. To help you get started, here are a few tips and tricks that are easy to implement and may really help you get things done.

Try the Pomodoro Method

 

The Pomodoro (Italian for tomato!) method has gained a lot of support from people for productivity increases. Here are the steps.

1. Choose a task.
2. Work on the task for 25 minutes.
3. Take a 5-minute break.
4. Repeat steps 2-3 three additional times (a total of four cycles).
5. Take a longer break.
6. Repeat the process until your workday is up.

Easy, right? And many people report that it’s really helped them move things over their desks quicker! Plus, you get all those fun breaks sprinkled in. Just make sure that 5-minute break doesn’t become a 15 minute break, which in turn doesn’t become a 45 minute break.

Keep a To-Do List

 

I am the worst about this, but it’s critical. You ought to keep a to-do list. This way, you can visualize all the tasks you need to get done throughout the day. Then, when you complete a task, you get to cross it off! The visual cross-off is often quite satisfying, which encourages you to complete the entire list, thus ending your day with a feeling of completion and accomplishment!

Eliminate Distractions

 

It’s easier said than done, but you need to eliminate distractions, or your work will suffer. Among the most common distractions are the news, your cell phone, and noises. A good way to reduce these distractions is to set aside a time when you will allow yourself to be distracted (perhaps during one of those five minute Pomodoro breaks?). This way, you give yourself little reprieves throughout the day. As for the noises, try a set of good noise-cancelling headphones to keep those lawn mowers, construction noises, or anything else loud in your vicinity outside of your head.

Now that you’ve gotten those distractions out of your way, there’s nothing stopping you from landing that dream client! Got a contract you need that client to sign? Smallpdf can help you out. Check out our eSign tool and get that signature done and dusted today!