And your neighbor -- who you can only assume is building a time machine -- starts firing up all sorts of power tools and noisy machinery across the street.
For many modern marketers (myself included), working from home every once in a while is a luxury that our respective companies afford us. But it's hard to say which environment actually allows us to be more productive: the home office or the office office?
In the office office, your coworkers often pose the greatest threat to keeping you from getting some real, heads-down work done. They drop by your desk. They engage you in conversation. They invite you to lunch. I mean, jeez, the nerve of these people.
At the home office, however, I find that it's easy for you to become your own worst enemy. Because when you're not surrounded by coworkers, you're free to drop those pesky inhibitions. At the home office, no one's watching. You don't necessarily feel that same peer pressure or communal obligation to get stuff done. (Also: you don't have to wear pants.)
For anyone who's struggled with staying on task while working at home, don't worry: You're not alone. Below, I've compiled a bunch of great work-at-home tips and tricks from some of my awesome coworkers (who, for the record, I would totally love to go to lunch with).
Get Started Early
I'm a morning person so this works really well for me: I wake up, put on a pot of coffee, and start working immediately. Much before normal working hours. I only start making breakfast once I've hit a wall or need a break.
Take a Shower
Shower. It's like a "work mode" toggle.
Pretend Like You Are Going Into the Office
Get fully ready for the day -- pretend you're going to work. Otherwise, you'll find yourself back in bed.
Don't Stay at Home
I get out of my home to work, and go to a Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, or other Wi-Fi enabled establishment with actual tables, chairs, and people. It helps simulate the work environment for me -- white noise, chatter, that kind of thing -- that usually helps me work better than utter silence. It also removes the distractions I typically have at home like the urge to finally actually clean my room, do laundry, or watch TV.
(I also refuse to play into the trope of being some jerk sitting at Starbucks not doing any real work, so I feel motivated not to mess around on Facebook all day to show there are still people who actually get stuff done at a coffee shop!)
Make It Harder for Yourself to Mess Around on Social Media
I remove all social networks from my toolbar bookmarks. Even if I don't mean to browse them, some uncontrollable impulse subconsciously clicks on them when I experience downtime. You can get sucked in without knowing it (or even intending to), so eliminating the gateway to those networks keeps me on track.
Commit to Doing More
Our team has a daily stand-up meeting each morning where we share what we're working on for the day. On days I'm working from home, I tend to slightly over-commit on what I'll deliver that day. It helps keep me honest, so even if I get the urge to go do something else, I know I've already committed a certain amount of work to my team.
Work When You're at Your Most Productive
For me, the most productive times of the day are usually early in the morning or late at night. I recognize this and try to plan my day accordingly. Also, music that really pumps me up doesn't hurt.
Find a Distraction ... Like a Baby!
When I work from home, my 5-month old daughter is home with me, too. It seems counterintuitive, but because I have to manage taking care of her and keeping her happy and entertained while still getting my work done, the pressure helps to keep me focused. When she's napping or entertaining herself, I go into super-productive work mode.
It's the same idea for why some people work better when they have very busy schedules -- you learn how to manage your time VERY efficiently. The "distraction" of my daughter (I mean that in the most loving way possible) means I can't possibly succumb to some of the other common distractions of home -- putting in a load of laundry, turning on the TV, doing other household chores -- or else I'd never get any actual work done.
Plan Out What You'll Be Working on Ahead of Time
If I'm planning on working from home on a certain day, I'll make sure to get any work done ahead of time that requires me to be in the office -- for example, if I'm working on a task that would be infinitely easier to complete with access to my large monitor screen, or need to schedule meetings with coworkers that are best had in person. Plan out your week in advance to optimize for the environments you'll be in.
When I work from home, I save tasks that can be done independently on my laptop in any location (such as a coffee shop). I always make sure to have our internal chat screen open so people can easily get in touch with me but other than that, it's a me-day to focus on my projects at hand.
Match Your Music to the Task at Hand
Find different playlists to match your different energy levels/required work throughout the day -- and only use them when you're doing those tasks. For example, when I'm powering through my inbox, I need some intense and catchy rap/R&B (like Nicki Minaj or Miley Cyrus) blasting through my headphones, but when I'm writing, Tom Petty is the trick. Finding what music motivates and focuses me for different tasks (and then sticking to those playlists for those tasks) has completely changed my WFH productivity.
Use Laundry as a Work Timer
I usually do laundry when I work from home and I set mini-deadlines for myself corresponding to when I have to go downstairs to switch loads. If I'm working on an article, I tell myself I'll get to a certain point before the wash cycle ends. Then I set another goal for the dryer.
Keep the TV on in the Background
I spent my first two years out of college working from home as a freelance writer. Of all the tips, tricks, and secrets I've uncovered for being more productive at home, one stands out above the rest: Putting on the History Channel. No joke. Just keep the History Channel running in the background at a low volume, and I swear, you'll get stuff done. (I'm not exactly sure why this trick works, but I can only assume it has something to do with ancient aliens.)
- Me (Erik Devaney)
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How to Actually Be Productive While Working From Home
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