Tips For Being Productive When Working From Home In Montgomery County

COVID-19 changed a lot, including the way we work. In the before times, most people in Montgomery County schlepped into an office Monday through Friday and stayed put for seven to 12 hours. But social distancing standards flipped the script, and these days, a large portion of the corporate workforce is housebound.

But the shift wasn't easy for everyone. People juggling children's remote learning schedules found it particularly tough. Thankfully, experts and psychologists came to our collective rescue with productivity life hacks — and today, we're counting down the five most helpful tips for working from home.

#5: Create and Guard a Dedicated Workspace

Demarcating a dedicated workspace is essential. Doing so fosters a work mindset and signals to roommates and family that you shouldn't be disturbed. Ideally, a separate room works best. But if that's not possible, pick a place with a bit of natural light that's off the beaten path.

#4: Work First, Run Around Later

When establishing a new work-from-home routine, many people schedule errands in the morning, thinking they'll get them out of the way and work the rest of the day. But that plan rarely works. More often than not, by the time you get home, you're spent and may end up doing busy work instead of getting down to business.

Avoid procrastination by establishing a schedule where work comes first. Don't leave the house until the day's critical work is done.

#3: Develop a Get Out Routine

Rarely leaving the house is a recipe for disaster and can wreak havoc on your mental health. Whether you walk around the neighborhood for 20 minutes or head to the grocery store daily, gift yourself a change of scenery at least once a day.

#2: Become a Paranoid Tech Geek

At the office, IT professionals protect you from the gremlins and goblins lurking in digital shadows. At home, you may be a lot more exposed. Mitigate the possibility of attacks by using a VPN and giving yourself a crash course in online security.

#1: Limit Distractions

Working from home may sound ideal. After all, there's no stressful commute, and pajamas are perfectly acceptable attire. But what people don't count on is how difficult it can be to get things done! Cut down on distractions by using website blocking apps — to forcefully limit your social media and fluff reading time — and keep your personal cell phone in another room during work hours.

Adjusting to an at-home work environment may take a little bit of time and effort. But once you find a groove, the benefits can prove priceless. If you're interested in finding a home with more office space, get in touch with one of our Montgomery County real estate experts today.