Ten Tips for Managing your Time Effectively When Working From Home

When working or studying a course from home it can be difficult to stay focussed. There are a lot more things to distract you, and you don’t have anyone looking over your shoulder, making sure you are keeping on top of things.

In effect, you have to act as your own boss. It is up to you to ensure you get all your work done on time to a sufficient standard. Here are some tips to help you stay professional or scholarly.

Allocate time

Before you start your day, think about how many hours you are going to work. Thinking that because you don’t have an office to go to you can get up at 11am, start work at 12am and then break for lunch at 1pm will almost always prove counter-productive. Sticking to a 9 to 5 standard working day is very good for productivity; it also means you will be working when everyone else is. If you do not live alone, people arriving home at 5.30 and kicking back is going to be an unnecessary distraction.

Plan the day

This is especially important if you are studying away from the confines of the classroom. Work out what you are going to achieve in a day, without overestimating. Be realistic and set yourself small goals – breaking the working day manageable chunks. Make sure work is ordered by priority and importance, rather than which is easiest to complete. If you don’t have a superior looking over your shoulder it is likely this will get left longer and longer until you have an insurmountable pile of extra-difficult, extra-important work to plough through.

Allocate space

Whether you live with friends or family, make sure they know when you are working and when you should not be disturbed. A good way to do this is by setting aside a corner of the house you can designate as your office. If you have friends that work shifts or may be free in the daytime, make sure they know working from home does not mean you can socialise with them in work hours.

Dress up

It may be tempting to lounge around all day in your pyjamas, but dressing properly can focus your mind on the task in hand. It can also help stop you getting distracted by things like the television – which sounds strange but it is true.

Take a break

While working alone it can be tempting to work too hard and become overly-focussed on one task. Make sure you allocate time in your day for breaks and time away from your computer or desk. You may not realise it when you are hammering through a huge pile of work, but if you decide to avoid breaks the quality of your work will gradually decrease. It is something you will come to regret when you find there is a load of paperwork to redo because your mind has not been as focussed as it should have been.