It can be easy to get caught up in the people watching when working from a coffee shop. It’s even easier to get caught up in the everyday duties when working from home. Distractions can even take place within the coworking space. Here’s a few things that you can do to alleviate some of the distractions.
Get Dressed Up
It might seem like a simple tip, but it’s a crucial one. It can be tempting to stay in your comfy clothes all day, but any day that you give into this temptation is a much slower start and less productive one overall. You don’t need to dress formally, but the simple act of changing out of your PJs and putting on “working” clothes serves as a signal that it’s time to get things done. It is 2020 after all. We’re all doing a lot more video meetings than before, so we still need to look put together for the most part.
Invest in Headphones
Plug in your headphones or connect them via Bluetooth and away you go. Headphones have always served as a visual cue to others around you that you are “in the zone” and don’t want to be bothered. It keeps you focused, as well. Many times, the conversation next to us sounds really interesting, and we lose sight of what we’re supposed to actually be doing. Do yourself a favor and tune others out so that you can get your stuff done.
Write Out a To-Do List
For some of us, it’s easier to stay focused when we have our daily tasks written down. If you have a deadline to meet at the end of the week/month, it’s nice to be able to break down your tasks on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis so you’re not cramming it all in at the last minute. A to-do list also helps you feel accomplished when you can strike or check something off of it. It’s like a little pat on the back when you finish something on the list. And we can always do with positive reinforcement and encouragement!
Schedule Breaks
It sounds ridiculous; how are you supposed to know when you’ll need to go to the restroom? Or when you’re going to get an email? You don’t. But you CAN schedule when you act upon them. By scheduling a 5-minute break every hour, you can power through until your scheduled pause. You’ll have something to look forward to and can be more productive with those other 55 minutes. And turn off the notifications from your emails, too. You don’t have to read every email right as it comes through. Dedicate 15 minutes every 2 hours to read and respond to your emails. If it’s a matter of life and death, that person can always call you.
Don’t Forget to Socialize
We know now that when you’ve got your headphones in you’re highly focused. But people forget that you need to be around others because it’s the small talk and randomness that keeps your days feeling unique and prevents that hamster-wheel feeling. Set aside time to talk or catch up with the coworkers around you. Use your dedicated lunch break to converse with a colleague or introduce yourself to the newest team member. Human interaction is a necessary part of our lives. Even in 2020s craziness, let’s not forget to keep up the communication.
Last But Not Least, Designate a Workspace
For so many people, they got thrust into the working-from-home situation this year without any idea of what that was going to mean. And it’s very easy to go into either end of the productivity spectrum- getting so distracted by everything that your work suffers or being so hyper-focused on work that your home life suffers.
If you were used to going to the office, the separation between work and home was physical. Try to recreate that as much as possible with a dedicated physical workspace within your dwelling. Your workspace doesn’t have to be its own room, but it should feel as separate from your the rest of your home as much as possible. Make it comfortable with a chair you can sit in for 8 hours. Decorate the space with calming pieces. Entering this workspace can help you turn “on” at the beginning of the day and “off” at the end of it.
And if all else fails, and you’re still not feeling very productive or focused, especially in the home setting, then come check out Society 204 and our Anti-Working-From-Home solutions. 68% if people in a coworking setting report a boost in mental focus and productivity. Let’s see how we can add you to that percentage!