Remote work has existed for as long as technology has allowed people to effectively communicate and collaborate with bosses and coworkers from afar. People have been successfully merging their workspaces with their home spaces long before COVID-19 forced employees into quarantine. So, now that more people are adapting to working from home, we think it is useful to hear SEO Los Angeles company guidelines that help employees optimize productivity.
SEO Los Angeles companies know that, at home, there are more potential distractions to keep a person from staying focused on their work projects. However, there are also a lot of benefits to curating your own workspace in the place that you feel the most comfortable.
Here are some helpful guidelines for getting work done while you are in the comfort of your own home:
Designate a special area for work.
Having an area reserved for work, where you have all of your resources organized and on hand, will help you get into focus every morning. Try to pick a place that is separate from your lounging spaces (i.e. bedroom, living room, dining room). Also, choose a location with a professional background just in case you need to do a video call with your coworkers. The best way to get into focus is to have a physical, contained space that you know is for work only.
Have a regular routine.
This includes waking up at the same time, taking breaks at the same time, and even showering at the same time. Once you get into the rhythm of working from home, you will not even have to think about it. Having a solid, convenient routine will also help ease your mind in this chaotic time.
Stay organized.
This means sorting through your stacks of papers and cluttered digital files and keeping things that are relevant and important. Everything else should be discarded or archived so that you can focus on the resources that you need for your current projects. SEO Los Angeles companies say that keeping an organized office space will help save the time you may have wasted looking for something that you need during work time.
Lighten up your workspace.
You can set the tone for an energetic, positive workday just by giving yourself some natural light. When it’s a darker day, invest in some lamps that are not too harsh and bright, not too soft and dim, to keep you attuned to what you need to do for work. Think about the kind of lightning that will put you in the best mood and increase your focus for a more productive day.
Keep distractions out of sight, out of mind.
This means keeping the TV turned off and, if possible, your personal phone on silent. Any time you pause to check in with the news channel or scroll through your Instagram notifications, you are risking the loss of precious productive time. It is best to stay engaged with your work from the time you clock in to the time you clock out.
Block out your work time.
This advice applies to people that work from home or work in an office. It is always helpful to tackle projects in sections of time. For example, designating an hour to respond to emails and then another hour on proposals and then two hours to begin that project your boss asked you to complete by Monday. Give yourself a schedule and tackle different tasks throughout the day. This will help the workday go by faster and you will feel more productive by the end of it.
RELAX during your break time.
Have an hour lunch? Take a nap! This is something that you can’t do when working from an office but it is absolutely a bonus of having your bedroom ten feet away. Set a 20-minute timer and let yourself close your eyes and rest from all that computer time.
Be prepared for video calls.
Even though you are working from home, you should still stay alert for potential meetings or check-ins with your boss. It can help to have a set of more professional shirts lying nearby just in case you need to do a quick change. It isn’t the worst thing in the world to be a little more casual than usual; however, you should still keep up a professional appearance. Maintain your daily grooming routine and be prepared for surprise business calls.
Enjoy your freedom.
It may take some getting used to, but working from home is really a luxury. You get to stay in your most comfortable environment with your significant other or kids or pets nearby. You get to wake up later with no commute, no worry about forgetting lunch, and all the time in the world for working out and cooking and reading that book you’ve been meaning to start. We are living in strange times but we can make the most of what we are given. Enjoying the opportunity to work from home is a great place to start.