What does it take to be productive when working from home (WFH)?
From ditching the long commute to wearing sweatpants to your 9 am meetings, working from home has all the perks. However, it can also be challenging - especially with the seemingly unlimited distractions. From social media to pets to the allure of online shopping, it’s often difficult to stay focused while working from home. Though staying productive while working from home is not always a piece of cake, fear not! There are certainly habits you can build to be a more productive employee in our remote-first world.
A survey of 1,000 Americans in the workforce revealed that productive remote employees were more trusted by their employers, had more autonomy at work, and made more money. Read on to discover the habits of productive employees so that you can incorporate them into your own routine.
Why does work-from-home productivity matter?
Not only does productivity allow you better use of your time, but it can also earn you more responsibility at work. And with more responsibility may come more money!
When you’re consistently productive while working from home, your employers will trust you more. You’ll earn a reputation as a valuable asset to your company, and eventually you should climb up the ladder. The most productive work from home employees would agree their employers trust them more than other employees. They also agreed to having more autonomy at work.
If your employer is fair and recognizes hard work, productivity can earn you a bunch of perks - including, but not limited to more benefits, potential promotions, and even a well deserved raise!
Barriers to work-from-home productivity
Let’s be brutally honest - social media is a black hole that can easily suck up hours of our time.
Even though taking an occasional break to go on social media could be healthy, it can also become a problem when not managed properly. Aside from unnecessary emails, text messages, and work notifications, social media was the main distractor for remote employees. This is why it’s so important to monitor your usage throughout your workday. If you find it difficult to stay off Instagram during work, try deleting the app entirely until you’ve ticked all of the items on your office to-do list.
No matter how much we love our pets, we can surely agree that they can be another huge distractor. If you have any furry companions, you know they require significant attention and care. Incorporate walking your dog into your morning routine, and take a few minutes off your lunch break to engage in play. This will help keep your pet’s energy under control when it’s time for you to focus.
Can technology save us from itself?
Despite technology being one of our worst enemies when it comes to staying productive, it can also be our best ally.
Rather than keeping scattered sticky notes all over your desk, the Notes app on your phone can help you keep structured to-do lists in the palm of your hand. Whatever method you use, you should definitely reap the benefits of technology to help you stay organized and stay loyal to your to-do lists.
There are many apps out there that can help you stay better organized. Employees and employers alike loved Google Workspace and Microsoft Office, as they’re seen to help increase productivity. Your employer may already utilize these apps, and they are great for scheduling meetings, sending messages, and sharing files.
Contrary to what you might think, productivity tools like Trello and Salesforce fell into respondents’ top category of apps that actually decrease productivity. While Trello might be a great productivity app for simple projects, it lacks the more advanced capabilities that complex projects may call for. This might lead to employees toggling between apps and asking for clarification outside of the platform - thus reducing productivity.
Are you ready to be more productive while working from home (WFH)?
Throughout the past two years, many of us have experienced the myriad perks of working from home. However, it’s true that working from home has different challenges than working in a traditional office space. With limited supervision and a multitude of distractions, our productivity at home is often at risk. However, small, yet powerful changes to your lifestyle can help you to become a more productive remote employee. That way, you can reap all the benefits of working from the comfort of your home. If you’re looking for more ways to increase your work efficiency, Get Started With OSlash.
OSlash helps remote teams get more work done, faster. Check out how to use OSlash for remote teams.
Methodology and limitations
OSlash surveyed 1,000 Americans about their productivity when working from home. 56% were men, 43% were women and 1% were non-binary. They ranged in age from 18 years old to 72 years old. There was a 3% margin of error on a 95% confidence level. For short, open-ended questions, outliers were removed. Survey data has certain limitations related to self-reporting. These limitations include telescoping, exaggeration, and selective memory.
Fair use statement
If you’re struggling to stay productive while working from home, or know somebody who might be, feel free to share our findings. If you do, please make sure to provide a link back to our work and that your purposes are noncommercial in nature.
