Tips for Staying Focused When Working from Home

It can be hard to stay focused when working from home. Family members, your TV or your phone can all be unwelcome distractions that stop you from achieving the productivity you’re capable of. Whether you’re a student striving for academic success (if so – you should use scribbr’s plagiarism tool), you’re a home-based business consultant or you’re a freelancer, it’s important to have periods of time that are completely focused. So, how can you stay focused when working from home?

A clear space Being focused can be difficult when you’re in a cluttered, messy or dysfunctional space. In order to work from home successfully, you will need your own space which is free from any distractions. This might mean your own office space, where you have a desk, an organized filing system and a door to shut out any disturbances. However, this is not always possible. Wherever you’re working from, make sure that the desk is clear of clutter and you keep the area tidy. A messy and chaotic working space will only lead to messy and chaotic thoughts.

Turn your phone off

Social media is often the biggest distraction in the current day. It can feel impossible to sit down and be productive when your phone is constantly pinging and you’ve got a stream of photos, videos and messages to keep you occupied. So, to be focused, have periods of time where you turn your phone off. This will allow you to completely focus on your work and whatever tasks you need to complete. You can take breaks to switch it back on and check your messages, but don’t be constantly distracted.

Routine

When working from home, it can be difficult to maintain a healthy, productive routine. It’s tempting to wake up whenever you want, eat breakfast at your desk and stay in your pajamas all day. But this is rarely practical. Focused work days often revolve around a regular routine, and many people benefit from behaving as if they’ve got up and gone to work. This might mean waking up at the same time, having regular scheduled meals and getting dressed in the morning before sitting down at your desk. However, people work in different ways. You might be more of a night owl – and that’s OK. The key is to establish a routine that works for you and stick to it.

Breaks

Alongside a clear routine, it’s important to take breaks. No one is productive for every minute of their working day. The key is to work for shorter amounts of time and make these periods productive. If you can tell yourself that you’ll work without distractions for half an hour and then go get a coffee, you’ll be more productive than if you get up mid task and make it. It’s always good to give yourself an incentive to keep working, and breaks do just that. Plus, they give you the time to refresh your brain and look away from the computer screen.