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Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Work In My Pajamas
A home office can be a convenient place to work and develop a successful career. But if you are not careful, then a home office can also be a den of distractions that causes you to waste valuable time. Here are some rules you can follow that will make your home office more productive.
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1. Make Sure It Has a Door
You can get a lot more done in your home office when you can close the door and keep out the distractions. Make a rule with your family that when the door is closed, you are working and cannot be disturbed.
2. Populate It with Office Furniture
The temptation with a home office is to populate it with a couch and other extremely comfortable pieces of furniture. The best approach is to get comfortable office furniture and create a professional environment in your office.
3. Create a Workable Schedule
If you know that you will not be able to get work done during the late afternoon because of family obligations, then do not plan on working during that time of the day. Set up a work schedule that will make it easier for you to be truly productive.
4. Avoid Too Many Distracting Items
You want to make your home office comfortable, but you do not want to bring any distractions inside your office to throw off your work day. Covering your office walls with posters of your favorite rock band or installing a large stereo system in your office are unnecessary and counterproductive.
5. Adopt Productive Office Policies
Just because you are working from home does not mean that you are obliged to answer the home phone when it rings. Many offices have policies that limit personal phone calls and personal Internet access during office hours and you should adopt similar policies for your home office.
6. Set Goals
Despite your high level of dedication to your job or building your business, you still may find yourself very tempted to go downstairs and watch television. One way to remain productive on those days when you don’t feel so productive is to set minimum goals that you must reach each day to be productive in your home office. Once you have reached your goals for the day, then it is up to you what you do. But at least you would have done the minimum amount of work that was required for the day.
Working in a home office is not nearly as easy as it sounds. But with a little dedication and the right rules, you can become productive and have a successful career from home.
