From this article you will learn:
How to be productive at home?
Tip 1. Maintain a routine.
The best way to be productive at home is to build an enjoyable but clear routine. Regular repetitive activities prepare you physically and mentally to begin work or rest.
To be productive at home, divide your day into work and rest periods. Each period will begin and end with certain rituals.
That doesn’t mean you have to get up at 6 a.m., go for a run, and do many things you don’t like.
Your morning routine can be calm and measured: meditate, keep an observation journal, or walk your dog to the coffee shop. Do you like to start your mornings actively? An energetic dance or a short exercise routine would be great to start the day.
If you feel too relaxed after your lunch break, don’t force yourself to work during this period — go for a walk and get to work with renewed energy.
An exercise to identify productivity peaks.
- During the week, mark your energy level every hour on a scale of 1 to 10.
- At the end of the week, compare the results, and you will see that your peaks of productivity and slumps of energy are repeated each day.
This exercise will 100% help you be productive at home because you can set the most difficult tasks for the peaks and leave the chores for the downturns of energy.
Tip 2. Plan wisely.
Your personalized to-do list can be a good aid to being productive at home. You can use online tools or an ordinary diary to make a plan.
Don’t forget that it’s important to be realistic in your planning. Otherwise, a big to-do list will only cause procrastination.
We’ve prepared a step-by-step guide for you to plan work tasks to be productive at home properly.
Six steps to proper planning:
Step 1. Write out all the work tasks for the month.
Step 2. Define a deadline for each of them.
Step 3. Prioritize your tasks.
Step 4. Enter the top priority task for the coming week.
Step 5. Divide it into smaller tasks and distribute them by the days of the week.
Step 6. Check your tasks daily.
Each morning highlight the most important and time-consuming tasks for the day to focus on them first. Choose no more than three tasks and write them in the «mandatory» column.
Place small and easy tasks for the day in the «desirable» section and do them if you have time and energy after the mandatory tasks.
Tip 3. Think about your workspace.
Does your desk fit your height? Can you sit in the chair for more than half an hour without feeling back pain? It is worth thinking about setting up a comfortable workplace to be productive at home.
Your work area should have everything you need to complete your tasks from a computer with a reliable Internet connection to document folders, office supplies, a printer, or a microphone for video calls.
Tip 4. Create a working atmosphere.
Make a clear distinction between your free time and work hours, allowing you to be productive at home.
Every push notification, call from family, or simple temptation to browse your friends’ stories on social networks will become a distraction during work hours.
During working hours, turn on «do not disturb» mode or set up to receive notifications that are work-related only. It is also worth discussing what you can and cannot do with your housemates during your work hours.
Tip 5. Use time management techniques.
To keep track when you work from home, incorporate time management techniques into your routine. They will help you manage your time and keep track of how much you spend on certain tasks.
Every technique involves periods of work and breaks. Perfect timing is important to be productive at home.
Tip 6. Think about rewards.
We often tend to forget successes and focus on failures. A great way to be productive at home is to reward yourself for even small tasks accomplished.
A reward is not always a prize or a gift. Think of a favorite book, movie, food, or any activity that fills you with joy and energy.
Tip 7. Don’t forget your personal life.
Optimal productivity is built on a life-work balance. If you work from home, you risk of spending all your time on work outside of home duties.
To be productive at home, along with your work goals, make a list of your aspirations in life.
The habit of putting life on hold and workaholism leads to stress and emotional burnout. They are detrimental not only to your productivity but also to your mental health in general.
Tip 8. Develop networking.
Networking is the creation and development of a network of useful acquaintances. Networking is about building a network of useful acquaintances that will be useful in your career or business.
More importantly, connecting with people helps you stay motivated and be productive at home.
Talk to people in your field, and you’ll learn many innovative ways to solve familiar problems and increase your expertise and productivity.
Tip 9. Ask for feedback.
Constructive feedback helps you get the right idea of your role in the company or the project and assess your performance and capabilities.
Understanding exactly what you bring to the table and what you can improve will help you be productive at home.
Tip 10. Develop healthy habits.
To be productive at home, make sure you move enough throughout the day and eat well. Strength training at the gym or long runs aren’t for everyone. Incorporate a midday walk, a little stretching, or playing with your pet in between chores into your routine.
How to find a remote job?
You may encounter difficulties when looking for a remote job — that’s normal. Don’t worry. If you are a valuable professional and know your weaknesses and strengths, you will find a job. Ucanremote.com will help you along the way.
Why can you get the best remote job offer with Ucanremote?
What kind of work can you do from home?
More and more professionals are looking for opportunities to work from home, so the list of remote jobs is getting wider. We have prepared a list of the most in-demand professions for working from home.
Developer, programmer
The field of information technology (IT) is rapidly gaining popularity. Companies are looking for specialists to develop Websites, software, and applications every day.
A profession in the field of IT is the highest-paid remote work. However, it requires certain knowledge and skills, which can take six months to two years to learn.
Tester
Becoming a tester is the easiest way to enter the IT field. A tester’s job is to test sites and applications and report on problems found in their operation.
Graphic/Web Designer
Designers are some of the most in-demand specialists on freelance exchanges. Creating design layouts for websites, logos, banners, and presentations are the main tasks of graphic designers.
Copywriter, editor
A copywriter creates texts on any subject (even the text you are reading right now): from an informational article to a script for a Youtube video.
According to company editorial policy, the editor corrects texts and prepares them for publication or printing.
Translator
Translators translate text from the source language into the target language. Do not give in to the misconception that online translators will soon replace humans. Employers are interested in high-quality translation and interpretation of the meaning of the material, and any inaccuracy in translation threatens the loss of profits.
Online teacher or tutor
Online teaching is an opportunity to work from home for those with a foreign language or special knowledge. You can give lessons to children and adults from the comfort of your own home.
Таtargetologist
Any online business needs a qualified targetologist. It is a specialist who sets up ads for the target audience.
SEO-specialists
SEO-specialists help brings sites to the leading positions in search engines (e.g., Google), find points of growth for the project, and increase the visibility.
Support services specialist
Support representatives at the company answer customer questions, consult and solve problems in using the product. Communication with customers can be through mobile communication, e-mail, or chat on the site.
Event manager
The event manager or event planner coordinates every detail of the event from beginning to end.
For example, before a meeting, the event manager meets with clients to estimate the number of participants and determine the purpose of the meeting. During the meeting, they handle the logistics (registering guests and setting up audio and video equipment). After the meeting, they survey participants to determine what topics interested them most.
How to make money at home?
If you do not have time and desire to learn a new remote profession, do not give up. We have collected alternative ways of earning money at home.
Way 1. For creative people.
Do you like to sing, take beautiful pictures, cook or sew? Any of your hobbies can bring in extra income.
Photography
If you like photography, you can always make money. There are many ways to monetize your passion for photography. For example:
- Shooting photos and videos for small businesses (cafes, workshops, showrooms).
- Photo sessions (portrait, street, love story, wedding, advertising).
- Housing shoots for real estate websites.
- Event photos.
- Food photography.
- Scrapbooking.
- Conducting masterclasses in photography or photo processing.
- Publishing photos on stock sites.
- Custom print sales.
Customization
Customization is the re-designing of things with your own hands to suit a specific person. Can you draw, embroider, or even sew? Clothing, shoes, and accessories can become your canvas for creativity. Unique handmade items are popular with a young audience and therefore will allow you to make money from home.
Blogging
Way 2. For the enterprising.
Selling things
Everyone has things in the house that are not needed. They can be sold for good money.
Instructions on how to sell an item:
- Do an audit of the house: select a few boxes and sort things into categories:
- use it often
- don’t use it much
- have forgotten about the existence of it
- bored of it/want to replace
- defective items
Items in the first two categories will remain after «unpacking,» and the rest can be sold on resale sites.
- Register at resale sites (ebay, Etsy, Amazon).
- Create an ad for the sale of an item: take a high-quality photo, and description, and indicate the price.
- Respond to messages from buyers and arrange for the transfer of items.
Product testing
Product testing is an easy way to make money at home (from $5 — $250). The manufacturer sends you a product to get your opinion of it. Based on the testers’ feedback, the manufacturer will know the product’s shortcomings and be able to refine them.
To become a product tester, sign up for platforms that offer testing.
Investments
If you save and invest regularly, you can create capital that will generate passive income.
The easiest way to start investing is to take advantage of ready-made offers from professionals, such as through your bank’s investment app.
Way 3. For the attentive and organized.
Transcribing
Transcribers listen to audio files and translate the audio format into text. . If you have patience and attention to detail, consider a way to make money as a transcriber.
Making appointments
An appointment scheduler is a person who works in sales to coordinate appointments between a company and a potential customer.
Do you want to build a career as a remote specialist and get offers from good companies? Or are you tired of working in the office and want to try remote work from home?
Ucanremote will find the most suitable jobs for you where the chance of getting a positive response is close to 100%.
Ucanremote allows you to create a resume that differentiates you from others through:
- background checks with standardized tests from employers;
- feedback about you as a professional from your friends, acquaintances, former colleagues and managers;
- rating system based on your competencies.
Ucanremote will allow you to create a professional profile and compare your resume to that of your competitors, provide salary recommendations based on your knowledge, skills and experience.
Why Ucanremote is what you need now?
Being productive at home is real. You just need to know useful tips and gradually implement them in your life. Don’t give up! Motivation and productivity come with any job you can find from home. The main thing is to look for jobs in a proven place!
