In the wake of the coronavirus, a lot of people are now doing their best to operate from home and immediately encountering a significant problem. Many people struggle to remain productive when they are not operating in the confinements of an office. One of the reasons for this is that there is no structure and no set schedule. There are also literally hundreds of distractions and you might even find that people in your life are not treating you as though you are at work at all. That’s why you need to make sure that you are working to find the right solution and we think that tech could be the answer.
These days tech helps us with various aspects of our life and it could certainly ensure that you are able to keep productive.
Keeping Track Of Time
The first step is always going to be making sure that you are keeping track of time. If you fail to make sure that you stay on track of time, then you’ll soon discover that you actually get very little done through the day. Indeed, it’s possible that you end up at the end of the day realising that you haven’t accomplished any of your goals. So, how do you keep track of time? Well, if you have a Macbook or a similar piece of tech like an iPad, this hardware will provide updates in terms of how long you have spent on different apps and web pages throughout the week. You might notice a worrying trend here including spending hours on social media. If you know that social media has no relevance to your work, then you need to fix that problem. So, how are we going to do this?
You can explore different software options. Some software is going to allow you to block off different sites that you spend a lot of time on or find particularly addictive. Think of this as an adult version of a child lock. You can even use some software and apps to set timers so that the websites are only blocked off through the working day. This means that once it’s 5pm or whatever time you’re ready to finish, you can enjoy these apps as much as you like until your heart’s content.
You might also want to think about setting goals throughout the day too. We’re going to talk about this a little further time. But when you set goals, you will be able to make sure that you know how long you should be focused on one task compared with another. If a task is taking longer than it should you will know you’re not staying productive. You can use tech to set times, alarms and alerts to let you know if this is an issue.
Staying Connected
A lot of people think that if you are working from home then you are always going to be a solopreneur. But that’s not the case. The reality is that you are probably going to have other employees on your team. But rather than being in the office next door, they are going to be operating remotely. That makes it a lot more difficult to keep track of where they are and whether they are on the same page as you.
Again, tech can provide the answer here. First, you need to make sure that you are utilizing an instant messaging app. This is more useful than sending emails or connecting on the phone because it’s instant. They can pick up the message and reply in seconds. It’s also often encrypted. That’s useful if you are exchanging sensitive information and this will be the case for some businesses in certain industries. For this, you can explore messaging apps like Whatsapp which are even HIPAA compliant.
In terms of keeping everyone on the same page with projects, you might want to think about using a shared platform. A shared platform will allow you to show a project and share updates in real-time. This is also a great way to check that everyone on your team is also keeping productive as well.
The Right Hardware
Next, you need to make sure that you are investing in the right hardware from day one. You might resist upgrading the hardware that you use at home because it can be quite expensive. If you are buying a new laptop, tablet, phone or computer system, it could end up costing you close to a thousand dollars. You might not have that in your budget and that’s totally understandable. However, it’s important that you don’t underestimate the clear benefits of upgrading your tech. For instance, you might have tech that is five or even ten years old. First, this is going to heat energy, so in terms of efficiency, you’re already going to be at a significant disadvantage.
As well as this, old tech is always going to take a lot longer to load. This means that the day is going to start later and you will always get less done. Furthermore, you might find that the tech you have now is simply not suitable for the traditional working day. Remember, the typical home laptop is not designed for a full workday. You’ll find that the system quickly becomes limited in terms of power and software.
If you are worried about the cost of this type of hardware, you can think about claiming through your tax with a deduction. It’s important to be careful with deductions. You need to make sure that you are not accidentally claiming significantly more than you should. This is why even small businesses are advised to make sure that they invest in the services of an accountant. They will help you keep on the right track of the legal line. In terms of how this connects to technology, there is automated software available. This will allow you to effectively manage your own accounts, keep track of your spending and even fix your tax all at the same time. It can save you from any headaches that you could encounter further down the road.
Set A Schedule
You definitely need to make sure that you are setting a schedule when you are working from home. Otherwise, you are not going to be able to stay on target. The schedule needs to match the goals that you have with your business. You can create your own weekly schedule template to ensure that this is the case. You can also use automated software to ensure that projects are updated regularly and that you are getting enough done. Be aware that a schedule is only going to be effective if you push yourself to follow it. Checking your schedule needs to be the first part of your business day.
Staying Active
Finally, you might think that to stay productive you need to work as much as possible through the day. However, research seems to suggest this is not the case. Instead, you will remain far more productive if you make sure that you take breaks through the day to exercise and stay active. This could include anything from desk yoga to a run at lunch. By staying active through the day you will be able to make sure that your brain is firing on all cylinders. This can lead to fantastic levels of innovation and exciting new possibilities for your business. Again, tech can help here. With the right tech, you can easily keep track of how much exercise you are doing throughout the day.