As you may have read in my 6 Tips For Working From Home blog, I have been working from home for over a decade, 3 of which have been full-time, and over that time I’ve come to realize some hacks for being productive and get the most done from home. Head over to that blog to check them out!
But I have also learned how to be incredibly unproductive and waste time on things that aren’t very important. In the midst of most of our country working from home, I’d love to help you make sure you don’t make these time-wasting mistakes and get your job done efficiently.
Mistake #1: Working with the TV on
Some people love and are used to the background noise of their office environment and while that’s all well and good, turning on a TV show (even if you’ve seen it a million times) is a quick way to get sucked into television and soon you don’t know where the last 20 minutes went. Studies show that working with music on will make you more productive so switch up Friends for Franz Ferdinand or The Office for The Offspring. Your boss will appreciate it.
Mistake #2: Not telling your roommates or husband/wife that you’re on a video call
Although it’s funny to catch your coworkers roommates or husband/wife in a less than ideal situation, it definitely isn’t fun to be the person ‘caught’. Your house may not be used to working from home so make sure to be extra communicative if you are on the phone or a video call, and ask them to do the same. Over-communication will always be beneficial to keeping your environment as professional as possible during the day.
Mistake #3: Staying in PJs all-day
This is one I’m guilty of almost every day - which is hard to admit! I often let time escape me because I get really focused on one project and suddenly it’s noon and I’m still in PJs and never ate breakfast. Don’t be like me! Get dressed (even if it’s comfy athleisure) and you will feel better and be more productive - plus you’ll look your best during video calls. I will be challenging myself for the next two weeks to get “dressed” every day - join me on that challenge!
Mistake #4: Not being present when on a phone or video call
How many times are you on a conference call when your mind drifts or something else online catches your attention? It’s so easy to do! I’ve seen countless stories and heard coworkers panic over something else that starts happening in their house (pet brings in a guest, a kid gets hurt, the baby is crying, etc.) While you may not have the luxury of additional help at home, at least put your phone on mute and try to be as present as possible. Your colleagues and/or clients will appreciate this so much.
Mistake #5: Approaching working from home as a vacation
If your employer expects you to be working from home, work from home. Sure if you need a break for a bit you can get food or vacuum your house, but make sure you are still putting in the hours and getting work done. Working does make the day go by quicker and can help get your mind off the panic and fear many of us are experiencing these days.
Just remember this isn’t a vacation and your colleagues and boss are expecting productivity out of you. If you are struggling to meet deadlines or getting work done, suggest “virtually co-working” with your colleagues! Have a video conference going while you get work done and hold each other accountable.
Mistake #6: Starting Happy Hour too early
This is a big one and a very common mistake I see. Actually, when people find out I exclusively work from home, I usually get a response of “That’s so awesome! It’s like a vacation or happy hour every day, huh?” It’s definitely not!
Something to keep in mind is if you wouldn’t be able to drink at your office, don’t drink at home while you’re working. As enticing as that bottle of cabernet may look, your boss likely won’t appreciate it. If your job is creative and your team would sometimes get a beer at lunch, then absolutely still play by those rules - but if alcohol was a no-no in the office make it a no-no at home during your working from home hours.
Photo used is copyrighted from CBS and not an image I own.