Work from Home: Ways to Improve Time Management Skills

Time management is a huge hurdle when working from home. Luckily there are some methods you can implement to improve your productivity.

Aside from COVID-19, the biggest challenge people are facing right now is their work from home set up—and specifically those who may be used to working in a traditional office environment or frequenting coworking spaces. One vital aspect of working in an environment where there are lots of distractions is time management.

To tackle this common issue, we’ve laid out a few challenges you may be facing, as well as rounded up a few ways to improve your time management skills while working from home. 

Tendency to overwork

If there is one main concern managers have about woking remotely, it’s the assumption that their employees will slack off since no one is watching them at all times. However, upon further assessment, it seems like remote workers actually have a tendency to overwork. This is because putting boundaries between your personal life and work life is not easy since it’s all being done from hime. As a result, many feel exhausted from being overworked. 

Loneliness strikes

The internet has helped us to connect with others even if they are thousands of miles away. However, it also prevents you from socializing physically, which is essential for humans to thrive. While talking to friends or family on the phone or video call can help, it is not enough. And since you will be doing the same routine every day, it can be much easier for loneliness to creep in.

Dealing with distractions

Constant distractions can prevent you from completing your tasks effectively. This is further amplified if you have kids, a spouse, or even pets in your home. Barking dogs, loud music from your neighbors, and unexpected visitors are all things that may disrupt your work. Eventually, these disruptions will not only delay the completion of your work, but also its quality. 

Now here are some tips that could help in managing your time:

Dedicate a space to work from

Even if you are at home, it is still best if you have a dedicated space to serve as your working area, which will create the look and feel of working from the office. Simply setting up your computer in a designated spot reserved for work is all you need to get started.

Set reminders for real breaks

When creating your daily routine, make sure to include scheduled breaks. Experts recommend having a break after every two hours of working. Some productive and effective ways to spend your breaks can include taking a walk or stretching out to release tension and stress. These crucial breaks will keep you active and alert, while working without breaks can result in boredom and exhaustion. All it really takes is three to five minutes to restore your energy. 

Decide on your priorities

Setting your priorities can help you become more productive and is essential to keeping yourself motivated and managing your time effectively. When setting your priorities, start with the most difficult tasks and arrange the others in ascending order. Because of your flexible working time, you may be tempted to delay some of your work. Stick to your list of priorities before engaging in other activities. Limiting the number of tasks a day can also help you become more productive. 

Minimize interruptions at home

Handling interruptions at home is not easy and usually unavoidable, however, there are ways to minimize these interruptions without affecting your productivity. One side is to you could place a no disturb sign near your designated workspace. This can help prevent others from disrupting your work, or at least minimize the interruptions from occurring. 

Make use of an effective time-tracking app

One plus of working at home is the availability of time-tracking apps to help you with timely reporting and time management. These apps can help you in scheduling and prioritizing your time. Be sure to choose the app that is compatible with your work, priorities, and other needs. With the time-tracking app's help, you can easily monitor whether or not you are working effectively.

Work during your most productive hours

Experts recommend to schedule your working hours when you are most productive. Everyone works differently—some are more productive at night while others in the morning. You have to observe yourself and your peak time of productivity to schedule the most difficult task during that time. 

Socialize

Working from home can also lead to less socializing. However, don’t isolate yourself from the world. Interacting with others should be part of your daily routine. Try scheduling social meetups with your friends to relax and release stress caused from work. 

Some may think working from home is easy, bust like in a traditional office, there are still issues that you need to deal with. Of course, putting up those essential boundaries between work and personal life can be more of a challenge these days since it’s all being done under one roof. However, it is possible and we hope these tips help you manage your time more effectively during this extended time of working from home.

Lori Wade is a journalist from Louisville. She currently works as a content writer and is engaged in news and conceptual articles on the topic of business. Time management is critical to career success. That is why she uses the task timer & time reporting to stay in the lead at all times. If you need more tips on time management, entrepreneurship, or leadership, you can find her on LinkedIn.