When you work from home, you may struggle to separate work life from home life. While there are many advantages to working from home, it’s also easy to get distracted and lose your motivation to be productive. Whether you have a dedicated office at home, or you work in an area that’s shared with others, keeping your work area organized can help you be more productive. If you find that you’re struggling to stay on task, overhauling your work area may help.
Think about what you need in your workspace
One of the best ways to have a useful workspace is to remove anything that is not necessary for daily work. A clear work area, which includes both your physical workspace and your digital workspace, makes for better productivity. Clutter, whether it’s digital or physical, creates chaos and leads to distractions. Take time during your workday to notice what you use often and consider putting items away that you don’t reach for frequently. Keep the space around and behind your work area neat and clean so you’re always ready for a last-minute video call. Consider upgrading your desk chair and keyboard to ergonomically designed options to reduce pain and fatigue.
Do a deep clean and organize
For motivation, consider cleaning up physical clutter first. Items like staplers, excess pens, and notebooks should be contained and put away when not used frequently. Consider switching to a mostly digital system where you take notes on a tablet or your computer, which can reduce the need for desk clutter. Go through your computer and other work devices to remove apps, files, and programs that you don’t use. Archive files that you may need in the future in a space where they don’t distract from the files and programs you use daily.
Working from home is more common now than ever. One of the best ways to stay productive while working remotely is to keep your work area clean and free of clutter. The most important thing is to make your workspace functional for your needs. Remove anything that isn’t used in day-to-day tasks and keep your digital files organized. A clean workspace prevents distractions and helps you get through the workday without environmentally related stress.
