When I tell people I work from home, the first thing they want to know is how I get anything done. Here are my tips to keep you motivated and productive.
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Don't turn on the TV: As nice as it is to catch up on the daily news, having the TV on in the background creates unnecessary noise and is a constant distraction.
Give yourself a lunch break: Do what you would normally do if you were having a lunch break at the office. Giving yourself a lunch break with a bit of leisure time will recharge you.
Put the music on: I've found that chill-out music really helps to keep me focused. Use Pandora or Google Radio.
Do yoga: Take 30 minutes to get up and stretch out. You can go on YouTube and find hundreds of yoga classes for beginners.
Set up a start and stop time: It's so easy to get distracted and avoid work when you are your own boss. Setting an alarm to wake up and get to work will help you keep to your schedule. Same goes for your end time, so set up a stop time as well.
Take micro breaks throughout the day: Set your computer to remind you to take a 10-minute break every hour. We are not designed to sit in one place for hours, gripping on to a mouse and typing on a keyboard. If you have a Mac, try Time Out for Mac (defal.com/timeout).
Remove social media alerts from your computer: It's easy to avoid social media when it's not constantly flashing up on your screen, which is just a distraction. Download Self Control (selfvault.com), which will block out your email, Facebook or Twitter for an allotted amount of time.
Robert Morgan is a digital solutions consultant at Digital Phenix.
