10 Ways to Be Productive and Avoid Distractions Working from Home!

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The idea of working from home has quickly become more popular, and more of the norm.

For some people, working remotely is the dream! Short commutes (The bed to the office next door) and more flexibility when and where you work.

But, you also have to learn how to avoid distractions while working from home, which can be hard to do if you’re new to it!

Working from home for the first time is a huge adjustment.

Your productivity is probably suffering and you may find yourself watching more TV than getting actual work done. So if you’re struggling, here are 10 ways to avoid distractions while working from home!

Table of Contents

1. CREATE AN ORGANIZED PLAN

Working from home means you don’t have a naggy boss with stale coffee breath breathing down your neck anymore.

Which is good, but it also means they aren’t holding you accountable for getting work done. Therefore, you are now responsible for keeping yourself on track.

Creating a to-do list is a great way to stay organized. Making a plan for the day will really help you stay focused and avoid distractions while working from home!

There are many things that you can do to stay organized, and one of the best ways is using a to-do list and getting a physical planner to plan out your day!

Write down your goals, plan out your day and create a checklist to follow to make sure you stay on track!

2. TAKE BREAKS

While you’re working really hard on your project, don’t forget to take some breaks as well! Some people (like me) can work for hours on a project and not notice the time slipping by!

It can be hard when you’re in the groove to stop working and take a step back. But if you don’t take any breaks, it can lead to stressing yourself out or burning yourself out early in the day.

How often you need to take a break can differ from person to person. Sometimes, even day to day depending on the tasks you are working on.

But it’s still important to schedule some breaks to reset during your workday.

One of my favorite methods to make sure breaks are scheduled into your workday is by using the Pomodoro Technique! This is a productivity method where you work and take breaks for a set amount of time.

3. HAVE A DAILY ROUTINE

Just because you work from home now, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still have a daily routine to stick to. You want to treat your work-from-home job as if you were still in the office setting.

Get out of bed at the same time every day, have a morning routine, get dressed, and get ready for your day.

Setting a daily routine for yourself can help you stay focused and be more productive. It’s the same as if you were working in an office, just now you can create a schedule that works best for you!

If you have more of a flexible work schedule try to figure out what time of day you’re most productive and plan your day around that.

What time of day do you generally feel most productive? When will all the distractions (spouse, kids or pets) be asleep or not around?

Just because you work from home doesn’t mean your day shouldn’t still have a structure. The catch here is that you get to create your schedule instead!

4. CREATE A PRODUCTIVE WORK AREA

When you’re working from home, it can be tempting to want to work anywhere around the house.

Who wants to sit at an uncomfortable desk every day?

And while a change in scenery can be good for your productivity, there are some places in the house where it’s going to be hard to avoid distractions while working from home!

You should have a designated, productive working area if you really want to stay focused.

Sometimes you really need to put your head down and get some serious work done away from family life!

Your work area, ideally, should be a quiet place without any distractions around.

If you’re lucky, and your house is big enough, dedicate one room all to yourself to be your office space. This will seriously help you avoid distractions while working from home!

It helps you create a daily routine by working in the same place, you’ll have all of your things in one place to keep yourself more organized, and it prevents home life (such as kids’ toys, dog beds ect..) from cluttering up your private workspace and distracting you!

If having your own room isn’t possible, try having some sort of space where you can keep all of your work things together.

Sometimes, you really have to work with what you’re given.

The best thing to do is to have an organized workspace, with all the desk essentials. Having a messy workspace could easily distract you or just simply hinder your productivity altogether!

5. INVEST IN OFFICE EQUIPMENT

No business goes without a little upfront investment, so it’s a good idea to make sure you have a few things you’d expect to find in a normal office.

Such as,

A reliable computer & internet

A desk or table with a quality desk chair
A filing cabinet or organization system
A whiteboard or corkboard to jot ideas down or keep important notes on (A must for highly visual people like me!)

Other general office supplies you may need

Take advantage of any back-to-school shopping deals where you can get some of these items. Those sales can be handy for business owners with and without kids!

Of course, if you’re like me and you’re starting out with a blog, you can get away with not having a lot of these items.

So if all you have is a notebook, a planner, a computer, and an internet connection- I’d say you’re good to go to start a blog!

6. BE MORE PRODUCTIVE BY GETTING OUT OF THE HOUSE

If you find yourself losing motivation and not being as productive as you’d like to be, that’s okay!

Try stepping outside for a bit. Sometimes fresh air and a change of scenery can do you some good!

If the office or the kitchen table don’t break you out of your slump, try one of these things;

Going to a local coffee shop, bookstore, or library to finish work
Take a walk around the block, or go to the nearest park for a break

Go out to grab lunch on your lunch break

But what if you can’t leave the house or go very far?

If it’s nice out, take your laptop outside and sit on the porch or in the backyard. You haven’t exactly left home but I find myself most productive in a sunny and warm environment.

7. UNDERSTAND WHAT DISTRACTS YOU

What is going to distract you once you sit down to work?

If you know that you hate having dirty dishes in the sink, finish those before you sit down to work. If you know your phone distracts you, turn it off or put it in another room.

Eliminate distractions before you start working and you’ll have nothing else to focus on but the task at hand!

8. PLAY SOME BACKGROUND MUSIC

This can work for some, but not for others. It can also depend on the task you are working on.

For me, sometimes music can help keep me focused If I’m doing something that doesn’t really require concentration. Other times quiet is what I really need!

You’ll have to find what works for you. Maybe you need to put on your favorite playlist to energize yourself through a boring task you don’t like. Or maybe put on music without words to help you focus.

Try a few different methods and see what you like!

9. STOP SCROLLING ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is a huge distraction to me, as it can be for many others.

It’s way too easy to “check your notifications” and before you know it, you’re 20 weeks down your ex’s, brother’s, new girlfriend’s Instagram feed (It’s a thing).

To put an end to your Instagram stalking, make sure your phone is not a distraction. You could turn on “Do Not Disturb” Mode, switch it off or keep it in a totally different room when you work.

Find a way that works best for you and use that method every single time you sit down to work.

10. USE OTHER TOOLS TO STAY ORGANIZED

Even though I love making everything digital, for me there is nothing else like a good old fashion pencil and paper. I have a notebook by my side at all times. That way while I’m working I can jot things down.

I write my to-do lists on paper, my goals, and sometimes plans on paper. I may go back and digitalize it later, but most of my stuff starts out handwritten.

Recently, I’ve started making plans on my whiteboard and it has made such a big difference in the amount of work I get done!

You can use anything that you prefer to use, as long as it helps you stay organized, that’s all that matters!

Interested in seeing how I stay organized? Check out this video here!