Leaping from corporate America to becoming a self-employed professional, I quickly learned my success depends on being able to be productive. As a communicator and leadership coach, my work is often critical, time-sensitive, and requires balancing multiple priorities. Plus, I work from home and balance when I have to share my space with my husband or young sons suddenly, like during the current school closings over COV-19. So over the last three years, I've set boundaries, implemented systems, and changed my habits to make it work. Now, with employers encouraging more people to work from home, I'm sharing my top tips to focus so you can demonstrate your productivity by increasing your output during uncertain times.
If you're hoping to continue to work remotely or want to stay on track with your career goals, this article is for you. Now's the perfect time to set your expectations of what it means to work from home and be productive.
Set your ideal schedule. You're free! Congratulations on taking back control of your time. Now, you decide when you're sick and when you're ready to pull an all-nighter. That means if you aren't reaching your productivity peak during the 9-to-5 schedules, make adjustments. Don't get stuck trying to do what you've always done at home. It simply won't work. Today is a new day and you'll need to figure out what works for you. Maybe you worked remotely before kids or in a different role, be prepared to be flexible and kind to yourself. Each day is a chance to learn a new skill or adapt to a new habit.