As home office work becomes more widespread and accepted, more and more of us are realizing that at home there are at least as many potentially distracting factors as in the office, only at most other types. Working from home can therefore also mean that we are less efficient and spend more time organizing tasks than doing them. The United Call Centers team has been working with homeworkers worldwide since 2008, so here are some tips on how to be effective in a home office environment as well.
1. Calendar and planning
If you work from home, it is worth planning in advance, consulting with family and friends about how long the working hours will last. A home office is not the same as being on vacation, but those who work in a traditional work schedule may not know it. If we did everything on time, both leisure and relaxation can be planned much more easily.
2. Social media diet
It’s easy to get lost in the sea of information on Facebook and other social sites. You can scroll through the news and comments to eternity. Friends can also send a lot of funny videos that they have to watch “because it’s only half a minute”. It’s important to relax, but plan your breaks as if you were working in a traditional office. This makes it easier to separate active work time from rest time - if we really focus on work when we’re divided, we can pay more attention to friendly conversations when we’re not working. That's how everyone wins.
3. Get dressed for work!
It’s tempting to laptop in the middle of the bed from the top of the pillow castle in teddy bear pajamas, since in principle no one can see anyway. But let's not be tempted! Clothing significantly affects our state of consciousness, if we dress properly, we take work much more seriously. Of course, you don't have to sit in a tailcoat or a bow tie, but even a shirt and a pair of jeans can do wonders, and we can turn on the webcam with more courage.
4. Physical refreshment
It’s not good for anyone to sit in a dark room all day. We can also know from our own experience how good a little fresh air is, or even if we move our members for a few minutes. Not only do we have back pain from many sessions, but it can also cause other problems if we don’t actually move for long hours. You can take a break on the balcony, in good weather, or spend lunch here, and those who are so lucky that the home office is housed in a house with a garden can take advantage of their opportunities in even more variety!
5. "Be there" in the home office as well!
Let’s not get lost in the Bermuda Triangle of the online world. It seems easy to mute the phone and leave emails unanswered, but the home office is based on trust. No matter what the area, we need to be as conscientious in the home office as we used to be, as both our staff and managers are confident that everyone will do their job well even when there is no direct control. Working from home is a big responsibility - let's serve the trust of our colleguaes!
+ 1 Separate room with lockable door
This tip will be most useful for those with a young child in the family. The little ones usually reach any door handle by the time they are one and a half to two years old, and they are happy to open every door in the hope of a new adventure, especially if our couple is just busy with something else. As a parent, it’s always hard to say no to the game, but if you have an important task that requires focused work, it’s worth retreating from the outside world for a while, as it’s enough to just wake up for a few moments to stare at ourselves for many long minutes afterward.
Read our previous articles on similar topics!