How to avoid distraction while working from home

With social distancing now part of everyday parlance and practice, more and more people are finding themselves working from home for the foreseeable future.

The good news for many is that it means the end of long, annoying commutes, and a chance to leave the distractions of an open-plan workspace.

It might not be that simple, however. While your workday might not start out on such a stressful note as an unpredictable daily commute or having to endure your co-worker’s never-ending cell phone pacing, working at home can present a host of other challenges to your productivity. Here are some common obstacles to getting things done and how to keep focused, while at home.

In advance of going into remote work mode, it can help for the team to outline in advance typical working hours. While daily tasks may vary from colleague to colleague-some might have to be on before the markets open, while others need to be around for when Asia wakes up-having a set time for when co-workers can expect their teams to be online and logged into chat functions (more about that later) and ready to answer questions will enhance company cohesiveness during times when remote work might be necessary.

2. Avail of workplace chat platforms — to an extent.

But beware: endless Slack chats are a productivity vacuum. The anticipation of wanting to be the first to chime in with a witty riposte can lead to the creativity for which you were hired getting siphoned away into your digital workplace banter.

3. Mimic the look and feel of your usual working environment.

If you have the space, establish a dedicated working area with everything you’ll need to get through the day at your fingertips: computer, phone, chargers, pens, paper, and your favorite coffee mug. This being said, if you live in an apartment and/or have roommates (more on that in a moment)-office space at home might be as much as a premium as quiet space in an open-plan office.

In this case, another way to mimic business as usual is to dress the part. Ever hear the advice of dressing up for job interview phone screens? The same concept applies: Being in business casual attire might be just what you need to get into your usual workday flow. Added bonus: You’ll look professional for your office video chats. If you want to use your time working from home to save on dry cleaning bills, that’s fine; just be sure at least to shower for the sanity of both yourself and those in your immediate orbit.

4. Whether human or fuzzy, related or because of rent, keep roommates at bay.

For remote workers, teleconferencing is a tool of the trade. For such tools to work effectively, rules about the “conferencing” part of said portmanteau need to be abided. Generally, the types of interruptions that dog conference calls held in the office aren’t literal dogs. When working from home, though, Fluffy McStuffer might start barking at the most inopportune moment — that is, if your spouse doesn’t waltz in in the middle of your presentation asking where you put the toilet paper, or your child comes in whining for a snack.

Find a quiet space to take calls-whether that’s your designated work space or your bedroom-and if need be, have a sign signalling not to be disturbed. This will also help give you the peace of mind to be productive and confident on your call; in turn potentially reducing later anxiety.

Granted, there are times when everyone living in a given household is going to be working from home, whether during a health scare or in inclement weather. The approach here is to be respectful-and encourage your roommates, related or not, to do the same.

Don’t take phone calls in front of your roommate’s door and likewise, speak up if your roommate has loud music blasting while you’re trying to chip away at that PowerPoint. Part of the benefit from working from home is relative freedom from noise. You shouldn’t have to endure the typical sounds that annoy coworkers within your own home.

5. Use the work-from-home time to try a different mode of working.

While cracking into that Excel pivot table or hammering away at that blog post, Narbis brain glasses, based on NASA technology used to train rocket pilots, darken when the system detects the wearer is getting distracted. If the glasses can keep you from procrastinating from work by washing your dishes, imagine how fitter and productive you’ll be when you return to the office.

That is, if you haven’t been forever sold on working from home.

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