9 Ways To Increase Your Productivity While Working From Home - GoFuckYourself.com

D Ghost · 05-29-2011, 01:04 AM

Thought this was a decent article...

Quote:

If you?re working from home, chances are you?re a freelancer, consultant, or small business owner. This means your ability to get paid is directly tied to how productive you are. As a freelancer, wasting time equals wasting money.

Here are some tips on how to stay focused as you move through the workday, while still enjoying all the unique benefits of working at home.

1. Respect Your Own Time

When you work at an office, family and friends seem to naturally respect your schedule. But when you?re working from home, you?ll inevitably get calls at 11:00 a.m. or be expected to handle the daily errands. I?m not saying you shouldn?t wait for the cable appointment or chat on the phone, but be mindful of how easy it is to have time ripped from your workday.

It?s important to set boundaries, if needed. People will respect your schedule, only if you respect it first.

2. Impose Time Limits on Specific Tasks

It?s easy to become distracted, particularly when dealing with a task that?s challenging or a bit dull. If you find yourself losing focus, tell yourself to dedicate just 15 more minutes to the task on hand. Knowing there?s an end in sight might inject new energy into the project. And if not, move on to something else and return to it when you?re in a better mindset.

3. Set Strict Deadlines

Ever wonder why you?re ultra productive when facing a tight deadline, while a simple task can take hours to complete? You might chalk this up to working well under pressure, but it could also be Parkinsons Law, which basically states that a task will expand to fill the time you can give it. Combat this phenomenon by imposing your own deadlines for specific tasks. These can be as complicated as finishing a proposal or as simple as responding to a client email.

4. Log Off for ?Power Productivity? Hours

Digital distractions aren?t just limited to Facebook and YouTube. For most, the daily barrage of emails and IMs from friends and colleagues ends up being the day?s biggest time sink. If you?re stuck in your inbox, dedicate chunks of the day when you unplug from your phone and email to get work done. You can log back on afterward and power through the necessary responses.

5. Delineate Your Workspace

Ideally you can have an area dedicated as your office (and preferably with a door so you can shut out unwanted distractions). Creating boundaries not only helps you be more productive "at work," but also helps you decompress during your personal time.

6. Slowing Down? Change Your Environment

If you find yourself stuck (and you?ve already tried the ?just 15 more minutes? tactic), change your environment. Go work at the café for an hour, or brainstorm at the park. A change in scenery can spark new ideas and give you newfound focus.

7. Conduct a Time Audit

Ever finish up the day and wonder where your time went? If you?re self-employed, it?s important to understand exactly how you?re using your time. Every so often, conduct a detailed audit of your day and keep track of what you did and how long it took. These audits can reveal great insights into your daily workflow and can help you make adjustments where needed ? whether it?s getting help for your bookkeeping, dropping an overly demanding client, or condensing multiple trips to the grocery store.

8. Create Task Lists

I tend to have multiple lists running at any given time. One list keeps track of longer term goals (for example, the projects I need to complete by the end of the week or month). Then each morning I also create a focused outline for the day?s tasks. Try to keep your daily list as realistic and uncluttered as possible. Nothing can sap your motivation like staring at an overly ambitious list full of items you can?t possibly complete.

9. Make Your Breaks Count

Whether you?re working at home or in the office, it?s not possible to stay focused for hours on end. Breaks are an integral part of the workday, but make sure your free time counts. Have you ever denied yourself a trip to the gym or lunch with a friend ?because you?re too busy??

Chances are that on that very same day, you spent well over an hour browsing eBay, watching TV, looking at Facebook, checking your online bank account, or organizing your medicine cabinet. Busy work doesn?t accomplish anything and won?t recharge your batteries. So take your dog for a hike, take an actual lunch, or do whatever you enjoy. You?ll not only end up being happier, but more productive as well.

http://mashable.com/2011/05/26/work-...-productivity/

adultzone · 05-29-2011, 01:21 AM

I would like to give a try now :D

scubadiver626 · 05-29-2011, 01:40 AM

I miss the personal relationships you develop in a classic American office of peers. I suppose the grass is still always greener.

Verbal · 05-29-2011, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scubadiver626

I miss the personal relationships you develop in a classic American office of peers. I suppose the grass is still always greener.

I certainly don't miss office drama. Been working from home for 10 years and hope to never be in a "real" job again. People suck

rowan · 05-29-2011, 05:58 AM

I've run into the first before. I politely point out that although my schedule is somewhat flexible and I can have days where I drop everything and do something completely unrelated to work, those are the exception rather than the rule.

It's mostly from my wife's employer who can't understand why I can't look after my kid during the day. I may be at home but I'm still WORKING!

L-Pink · 05-29-2011, 06:07 AM

Don't wake up in the morning and start working in your underwear. I'm more productive if I wake, shower, go out for a small breakfast or coffee. Then go home to my office and work.

cooldude7 · 05-29-2011, 06:08 AM

for this specific reason am thinking of renting an office.,

work from home and productivity is fucked.

TMM_John · 05-29-2011, 07:36 AM

10. 127.0.0.1 gfy.com

jimmycooper · 05-29-2011, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Verbal

I certainly don't miss office drama. Been working from home for 10 years and hope to never be in a "real" job again. People suck

Concur.

Quote:

Originally Posted by L-Pink

Don't wake up in the morning and start working in your underwear. I'm more productive if I wake, shower, go out for a small breakfast or coffee. Then go home to my office and work.

I like to do 15-20 minutes of high intensity interval training (usually jumping rope) within about 30 after waking up. It's great for productivity.

V_RocKs · 05-29-2011, 10:25 AM

I am more productive if I don't shower, dress for the day and all of that jazz. If I do that stuff I inevitably leave and go do something other than work.

Strickie · 05-29-2011, 10:35 AM

I try to do something fun in the morning before I really start working. Sometimes I fish, play bball or shoot hoops, go out for breakfast, etc. I usually come back with some fresh ideas and motivation.

Socks · 05-29-2011, 10:47 AM

1. Kill wife
2. Duct tape child's mouth shut
3. Weld office door shut
4. Headphones
5. Disconnect telephone
6. Ignore knocks on door. Make sure it's locked or 80 year old neighbour will just walk in anyways.
7. Just get started for fuck's sake!

mightyjoe · 05-29-2011, 04:10 PM

i'm addictive for reading or surfing the net. anything under the sun. thus i spent 7 hours reading for a day and 2 hour of work. i hope i can overcome this

jimmycooper · 05-29-2011, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mightyjoe

i'm addictive for reading or surfing the net. anything under the sun. thus i spent 7 hours reading for a day and 2 hour of work. i hope i can overcome this

I'm the same as far as reading. I'm just really curious about everything. Before launching a site last year, I worked at a pretty big media company and at one point managed a team of 35 or so people but would still find a way to waste at least 2-3 hours per day reading about random shit happening in the world. lol

My trick now is to read as little as possible about non-work related topics while on my computer. I try to get all of the sports news I need by reading it on my blackberry and get all the world news I need solely by reading an entire hard copy of the Economist every week.

Blackcrow · 05-29-2011, 05:34 PM

Thats a great list. For myself, I also find that good ole' pencil and paper works well for getting lists and priorities in order, and I run 12-18 miles 4-5 times per week - that time really helps me focus on strategy with zero distraction. I imagine a 1 hour morning walk would do the same for those who cant run - leave the phone at home.

Rochard · 05-29-2011, 05:59 PM

I don't have a problem working from home. I keep regular hours, 9 - 5. I also make a daily list of things I want to do each day.

05-29-2011, 01:40 AM	#3
scubadiver626 Confirmed User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,034	I miss the personal relationships you develop in a classic American office of peers. I suppose the grass is still always greener. __________________ AsiaMoviePass My Best Rebilling Site

05-29-2011, 07:36 AM	#8
TMM_John Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 6,660	10. 127.0.0.1 gfy.com __________________ Skype: JohnA1078 Too Much Media - Makers of the Industry's Leading Payite Management Platform, NATS!

05-29-2011, 10:35 AM	#11
Strickie Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 2,481	I try to do something fun in the morning before I really start working. Sometimes I fish, play bball or shoot hoops, go out for breakfast, etc. I usually come back with some fresh ideas and motivation. __________________ Adult Websites For Sale

05-29-2011, 05:34 PM	#15
Blackcrow Registered User Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 77	nm Thats a great list. For myself, I also find that good ole' pencil and paper works well for getting lists and priorities in order, and I run 12-18 miles 4-5 times per week - that time really helps me focus on strategy with zero distraction. I imagine a 1 hour morning walk would do the same for those who cant run - leave the phone at home.

05-29-2011, 05:59 PM	#16
Rochard Jägermeister Test Pilot Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: NORCAL Posts: 73,687	I don't have a problem working from home. I keep regular hours, 9 - 5. I also make a daily list of things I want to do each day. __________________ “The choice is no longer between right or left. The choice is between normal and crazy.” - Sarah Huckabee Sanders YNOT MAIL \| THE BEST ADULT MAILING SOLUTION

05-29-2011, 01:21 AM	#2
adultzone So Fucking Banned Industry Role: Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southeast Asia (Philippines) Posts: 1,499	I would like to give a try now :D

05-29-2011, 05:58 AM	#5
rowan Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 17,393	I've run into the first before. I politely point out that although my schedule is somewhat flexible and I can have days where I drop everything and do something completely unrelated to work, those are the exception rather than the rule. It's mostly from my wife's employer who can't understand why I can't look after my kid during the day. I may be at home but I'm still WORKING!

05-29-2011, 06:07 AM	#6
L-Pink working on my tan Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Florida/Kentucky Posts: 39,151	Don't wake up in the morning and start working in your underwear. I'm more productive if I wake, shower, go out for a small breakfast or coffee. Then go home to my office and work.

05-29-2011, 06:08 AM	#7
cooldude7 Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Heaven Posts: 4,306	for this specific reason am thinking of renting an office., work from home and productivity is fucked.

05-29-2011, 10:25 AM	#10
V_RocKs Damn Right I Kiss Ass! Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Cowtown, USA Posts: 32,409	I am more productive if I don't shower, dress for the day and all of that jazz. If I do that stuff I inevitably leave and go do something other than work.

05-29-2011, 10:47 AM	#12
Socks Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: May 2002 Location: Toronto Posts: 8,475	1. Kill wife 2. Duct tape child's mouth shut 3. Weld office door shut 4. Headphones 5. Disconnect telephone 6. Ignore knocks on door. Make sure it's locked or 80 year old neighbour will just walk in anyways. 7. Just get started for fuck's sake!

05-29-2011, 04:10 PM	#13
mightyjoe Confirmed User Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,395	i'm addictive for reading or surfing the net. anything under the sun. thus i spent 7 hours reading for a day and 2 hour of work. i hope i can overcome this