Top 5 ways to stay productive when working from home

As many companies adopted a hybrid model of working after the pandemic, the ways in which employees remain engaged with their jobs has shifted. Although there are a myriad of documented benefits to hybrid working, allowing for more flexibility and a more comfortable working environment, remote working can be at times isolating and distracting. Remaining engaged and productive whilst working from home is a delicate balance that many employees struggle to strike – with research stating that employees working primarily from home reported feeling twice as unengaged as those working in office. Rethinkly – an immersive technology platform that facilitates challenging communication in the workplace – reveals its top tips on how to stay engaged when working from home. Today, research shows that 36% of people are permitted to work remotely up to three days per week, yet the distractions that arise from our home offices blur the lines between the personal and professional. Research found that up to 40% of people admitted to cleaning their home while at work, and nearly 30% admitted to napping, giving way to the unique distractors that can come from our home offices.

In light of our shifting work models above Andrew Jackson and David Tinker, co-founders of Rethinkly, list their top tips for remaining productive when working from home:

1 Establish a routine

Research surrounding the most highly productive individuals found that 92% of them followed planned morning routines. Having a structured schedule can help you stay focused and maintain a sense of normality. It also reduces any time and energy used on making decisions. Humans are creatures of habit and perform naturally better in predictable environments as it provides a sense of security .

2 Stay connected

Maintain regular communication with your colleagues and supervisors through virtual meetings, email, or instant messaging. Collaboration and social interaction can help combat feelings of isolation and keep you motivated. Individuals who reported feeling lonely were twice as likely to take sick days. Rethinkly’s proprietary research also found that feeling challenged in communication lead to 15% of individuals taking time off work.

3 Identify key time-frames

Pay attention to your energy levels and identify the times of day when you are most productive. This is likely different for everyone and therefore identifying your personal best performance time slots and scheduling your most important or challenging tasks during these periods can maximise efficiency and motivation.

4 Minimise distractions

Identify potential distractions in your home and take steps to minimise them. Data has revealed that the biggest distractor when working from home is scrolling on social media (61.6%). This may therefore involve turning off notifications on your phone, using website blockers to limit access to social media, or creating a quiet and clutter-free workspace.

5 Designated workspace

Set up a designated workspace that is separate from your living area if possible. This helps create a physical boundary between work and leisure, making it easier to concentrate and stay motivated. Airtasker found in their research that 1 in 4 felt having a designated area to work in at home was key to remaining productive.

About Rethinkly

Founded in 2013, Rethinkly powered by ProReal is a unique development and coaching visualisation tool that provides a safe digital space for ambitious teams to explore problems, relationships, conflicts and dynamics. Based in the UK, Rethinkly is helping organisations to build the skills and cultures needed in today’s dynamic business environments.

We have been developing and improving the ProReal engine over the past seven years, combining insights from academic studies with feedback from our clients and practitioners.