Working from has become more and more common over the last several years. Many people assume that working remotely or freelancing can only bring about positive change.
Having your own schedule, more flexibility, and freedom to do as you please. But it is not all sunshine and rainbows.
Once people get into working from home, they begin to realize that it is not all that it is set out to be. Procrastination can easily take over when you are working from home.
When your home turns into your office and living space, it is easy to let procrastination take the reigns. From Netflix to delicious snacks in the pantry, these can all be new challenges to your level of productivity.
Having a strategy in place to overcome procrastination is crucial in feeling as though you are progressing. It is a challenge we all face, but it is not something that cannot be worked through.
Below you will find 5 tips on dealing with procrastination while working from home.
1) Create Your List The Night Before
Knowing what tasks wait for you the next day is a good way to help prepare for them mentally from the night before.
Jumping between tasks is not advised when attempting to maintain productivity. If you do this, you increase the risk of getting lost, which will allow your mind to get cluttered and prevent you from wanting to work.
Taking an hour out of the end of each workday to write down the main tasks you need to tackle the next day will help you feel more at ease and better prepared for what is to come.
2) Reduce Distractions
Working from home means having to have the strength and willpower to ignore any distraction that gets in your way.
Generally, this is easier said than done. Getting distracted is the best way to veer off your task and pay attention to something else.
By setting up a quiet, designated workspace is a good first step to stopping your procrastinating tendencies. But, even after you’ve revamped your home office - there are still going to be temptations relating to social media and others.
While some people are good at turning a bling eye, others are not so much. Especially if you have a task that you really don't want to work on.
Controlling how and when you go online or engage with family members can help minimize distractions and in turn, the risk of procrastinating.
3) Create Deadlines
Working from home means you are in control of your schedule. And while this is ideal for most, it can also lead you astray and make you feel as though you don't have any deadlines.
If you struggle with deadlines, announcing it to family members or work colleagues will help level up your accountability and make you feel as though you are more likely to complete it by said date.
By setting deadlines for yourself, you are committing to finishing a task or project within a certain time frame and holding yourself accountable for your actions.
4) Attack Tough Tasks First
It is essential that you tackle the day with the toughest tasks first. You want to use your fresh mind on the most challenging tasks before you move on to the easier ones. This way, everything will be easier.
If you start in reverse, however, you are likely to procrastinate a lot at the end of the day when you face a tough task that just needs to be done.
5) Don't Multitask
Trying to start and finish everything at once is a recipe for disaster (and procrastination). Not only will you overwhelm yourself, but you will also lose sight of the goals for the day and you won't be able to maintain focus on each specific task.
Focusing on one task at a time will increase your performance and productivity and reduce the risk of feeling overloaded and unable to complete the task at hand.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, you are in control. Going from working in an office to your home is a big change and finding the right balance won't happen overnight. Being adaptable is a huge part of being successful when working remotely and these tips are a good way to do that.
