How To Stay Focused Working From Home? Tips New 2023

As the trend of remote work continues to grow, many individuals are finding themselves navigating the unique challenges of staying focused and productive within the comfort of their own homes. The allure of working from home, with its flexible schedules and familiar surroundings, can sometimes come at the cost of concentration.

In this article, FocusCommit will explore effective strategies and techniques for how to stay focused working from home and maximize your productivity while working remotely. Whether you’re a seasoned remote worker or new to the concept of working from home, these insights will prove invaluable in helping you stay on track and accomplish your tasks with greater efficiency.

Why does working from home make it hard for me to concentrate?

Working from home can present several challenges that make it harder for some people to concentrate. Here are some reasons why this might be the case:

Distractions: Family, ambient noise, looming chores
Blurring of borders
Inadequacy of rituals

Many distractions can occur while working remotely: your children rushing into your office to ask for lunch, your cat’s endless battle with your house plants, or your neighbor getting the idea to mow their lawn during your call. It’s pretty exhausting.

Dr. Winsberg says that the most common reason for a lackluster focus is the blurring between work and personal life. Dr. Winsberg says that some workers get things done on Saturdays because they have to do laundry the previous week.

It is essential to recognize that not everyone can have a dedicated space for work at home. While a workday may last between 8 and 10 hours, quality work can be done five hours. Dr. Winsberg says, “It’s more efficient to optimize those five hours, taking breaks between, than to sit in front of the laptop for ten hours and not be productive for most of it.”

How To Stay Focused Working From Home?

No matter where you work, you can’t focus at work. In an office environment, interesting conversations and nearby conversations can disrupt concentration. On the other hand, working from home can pose structural and disciplinary challenges. So how to focus ?

1. Know Yourself

Some people prefer to wake up early, while others prefer to get up late. Whatever your preference, it’s essential to take the time to determine when your best work is.

If you know that you are most productive between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM, then schedule the most critical tasks in that time frame. Then, save the more taxing tasks for later, when you feel less productive.

2. Make a list

The second answer to the question of how to stay focused working from home is to keep a list. It may seem a little old-fashioned, but keeping track of your to-dos will help keep you focused when working remotely and give you a point of reference at the beginning of each day. This list will serve to remind you daily of what must be done.

This is a big help in two ways. It gives closure to your current workday and allows you to transition from your home office into your personal life easily. You can start your day with a laser-focused mindset because you have already identified your goals and tasks for the day.

3. Have a dedicated workspace.

Working remotely is a great way to work from wherever you want. While this flexibility benefits flexible jobs, it is highly recommended that you set up a home office.

You can create a dedicated workspace to allow you to concentrate while working remotely if your home-based arrangements are not permanent.

4. Plan Your Day

When you are most productive and focused is the best time to start setting your work hours. This means setting boundaries and staying true to them. This is crucial to stay focused when working remotely.

Be clear with your friends and family, even if they are well-meaning, that you don’t have the time or energy to socialize constantly when you’re at home.

You can chat with them for a quick boost during one of your breaks. Keep to your schedule and work the hours you have committed to your job. You can find more information on how to talk with your family and friends about boundaries while working from home.

While you may be working from home during the pandemic, you might also have children at home. Children aren’t always good at respecting boundaries, even in the best times. An age-appropriate conversation is a good place for kids to begin (I have to go to work, you have school and other activities).

5. Limit Media Consumption

This is excellent advice that can be used at any time. Even on slow news days, it’s easy for us to become distracted by the constant stream of breaking news notifications. It seems that something is always happening these days.

You can become distracted by checking your phone every single time it rings. This can make you less productive. During the pandemic, constant checking can cause anxiety, leading to a loss of focus on your work. These tricks will help you avoid the pitfalls and maintain your mental health.

Set a Timer for Your Phone

Another working-from-home tip. It can be tempting to reach for your phone while at work, especially if it keeps sending you alerts.

You can stop yourself from getting distracted by your phone’s timer for 90 minutes. Then turn off all push notifications and put the phone out of reach.

The timer helps you organize your time and reminds you not to look at your phone.

Block Time-Wasting Websites

After you have blocked your phone, don’t forget about blocking your browser. It is tempting to spend the whole day on your computer. Use browser extensions to protect yourself from news sites and social media.

Set a timer so they can be unblocked during breaks or after hours. Next, ask them to “re-block” those sites when they’re ready to go to work.

6. Make a calendar

How to stay focused working from home if you don’t know where to focus? You can keep a schedule in your home office to help you see the tasks you have to complete. A more organized calendar will be better.

Write down daily priorities for work that must be done to meet your deadlines. A whiteboard, a planner, or an online calendar are all options.

You want to see what you need to concentrate on when your mind wanders. You can quickly return to work.

7. Scheduled breaks are a good ideal

Many people believe that we all need to take a break every 90 minutes. It can be challenging to stay focused when working remotely.

We don’t have the same mental resources as office workers, such as people who leave for lunch or grab a coffee. These breaks can be taken the same way as if you were walking to the breakroom or stopping by an office to talk.

Plan when you will take breaks, based on your meeting schedule, workload, priorities, and other factors, before your day begins.

8. Keep Active

Even a short walk is essential for physical activity. Inactivity is bad for your body and mind. It can lead to a slowing down of your brain.

Frana advises, “Don’t be afraid to include a workout or other type of movement into your day.” This will keep us healthy and help us stay focused throughout the day. This isn’t easy to do if we don’t take breaks during the day to move.

Take a walk in the morning, or take the dog for a walk during your lunch break. Are you a victim of bad weather? You can stream a workout to get a quick 10-minute boost in fitness or do some stretching. It will make your thoughts more transparent and help you be more productive throughout the day.

9. Do not graze all day

You want to be focused on your work productivity and set boundaries regarding food intake. You still need to eat. The advantage of working from home is that you can make your own healthy and fresh meals without having to rely on the microwave.

10. Dress for success.

According to Andre Fasciola, president and CEO of Matcha Kari, this middle ground is a part of cultivating a business-oriented mindset and establishing a daily routine. He highlights the significance of forming good habits, recognizing that although lounging in pajamas may be cozy, it doesn’t necessarily align with a professional mindset. It’s not primarily about appearance; it’s about instilling a professional attitude.

So, while there’s no need to don a formal three-piece suit or pencil skirt with heels when you’re working from home, there’s a sensible middle ground for your morning attire.

11. Save household chores for later.

It can be alluring to multitask by running the dishwasher or doing some vacuuming while you work or take breaks. However, such activities can disrupt your concentration and productivity.

As Vandendriesse suggests, it’s important to allocate specific blocks of time each day for these tasks. Avoid casually integrating them into your routine, especially if you’re naturally inclined to keep things tidy. Vandendriesse personally struggled with chores overwhelming her day initially but found a solution by dedicating around 10 minutes to chores in the morning and another 10 minutes in the evening.

13. Enjoy breaks.

Determining the right timing and duration for your breaks can be a bit challenging. Taking too many breaks might make you feel like you’re losing focus, but too few breaks can be counterproductive, leading to mid-day exhaustion.

One break that everyone should prioritize is the lunch break.

While it might seem more productive to quickly eat your lunch in front of your computer to tackle more work, it’s essential to take a proper lunch break, especially when working from home. This break isn’t just about refueling with food; your brain needs it too. Research has shown that being mindful during meals not only enhances your enjoyment but also leaves you feeling more satisfied.

Conclusion

You now have the technique and a remote work monitoring tool. These are key to a successful transition. You’ll be able to do your best work at home if you consider workspace design, daily plan, and engagement.

Working from home can be rewarding and productive if you have the proper structure and healthy reflection. You are now ready to create a space for yourself!