How to be productive working from home – TIC’s top tips!

Published on 20th April, 2020 by Gemma McSweeney. Published in For Candidates / TIC News

Trying to stay motivated while working from home? We’ve shared our ultimate guide to getting the most out of your working day… at home.

How do I boost motivation?

We believe staying motivated is the key to remaining productive. Our first tip is to get ready as you would for a normal working day. Shower, get dressed and make a good breakfast to set yourself up for the day. Many may feel tempted to wear loungewear or even stay in your pyjamas, but studies have shown that getting dressed psychologically allows the brain to make the transition from rest and work. We believe having a good morning sets you up for the rest of the day. This allows us to stick to our normal working routine and thus be more productive.

Remember – “Success leads to motivation, leads to success, leads to more motivation” - Jeff Haden, The Motivation Myth.

How do I maintain a structure when working from home?

By implementing a good working from home structure, we can best adapt to change. We recommend planning each day and sticking to the same time frames you would normally at work. This means waking early for a normal working day, but also to ensure you are stopping at the same time you usually would. Sticking to these time frames allows you to retain control of your working from home routine, and means that it doesn’t eat into your personal time. It is important for mental health to not let work overflow into your down time.

It is a good idea to set out tasks daily and cross them off as you accomplish them. This can give you a sense of achievement and help boost morale when working from home. It is important however to set time frames for tasks and stick to them. It may become tempting to allow tasks to elongate, but by sticking to set time frames you can maximise productivity.

How do I create a workspace at home?

We recommend choosing a space that can be used for working and working alone. It is important for mental health to separate work and personal time; this allows you to have a work life balance, even at home. Studies have shown that working near a window embraces natural light, reduces eye strain and as a result leads to higher productivity. Keeping your workplace organised and equipped with everything you need can avoid you becoming distracted and going off task. We also recommend having photos of friends and family on your desk to boost mindfulness.

How do I stay positive?

When working from home it is completely normal for spirits to dampen and for motivation to drop. We know this can be hard, so we think it’s really important for both mind and body to use your daily exercise to go outside for a walk. Even a short walk can leave you feeling refreshed, boost your mood and even reduce stress and anxiety. If you can’t go outside, yoga has immense health benefits and likewise can help with stress, benefiting your mind and working day. Additionally, be sure to drink plenty of water when working from home, staying hydrated can increased productivity by 14%.

But most importantly...

Do whatever works best for you. Don’t be too hard on yourself and try to stay positive.

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Gemma McSweeney

Gemma is our Associate Director, having joined TIC in 2009. With over 15 years experience of recruitment and selection methods, she specialises in matching teachers and leaders with our international school partners. She has attended many international education conferences and has visited a number of international schools over the years. She uses this experience to best advise our teachers, leaders and schools and manage our team and UK operations.