Thread by @solomonking

Working from home: A thread on how to be effective, focused and productive as you work from home.

Here are 15 tips from my 15 years of experience working from home in various stages of my entrepreneurship journey.

#workingfromhome #WorkingFromHomeLife

1. This Isn't A Holiday.

Remember that you have to perform and deliver at the same level and quality as when you had a proper full-time office to work in. It is very easy to slack off because of a lack of accountability or supervision.

2. Maintain Your Routine.

Do not change your routine. Where possible, follow the same routine as you would during a normal work-day. Wake up at the same time, go to "work" at the same time, leave work at the same time.

3. Dress Up.

Get dressed for work every day. Take a shower, brush your teeth and get dressed. Dressing up for work creates the right mindset for work and prevents you from slipping back into a more casual day and mindset.

4. Create A Dedicated Workspace.

Sitting at a designated workspace puts your mind into work mode. Use a coffee table, dining table or proper office desk, if you can afford one. Improvise as much as you can, but stick to your designated workspace.

Do not work from the bed, avoid the couch if possible. Basically, any place that makes too comfortable will be a space that makes you work less. But if those are the only options available, improvise, but turn it into a workspace as much as possible.

5. Take Breaks.

It's easy to get lost in work or get into "the zone". Your mind needs breaks, so be ruthlessly disciplined about this. It's hard, and I struggle from this myself, which is why I'm experimenting with a time-blocking system which I'll share later.

6. Get Enough Sleep, Go To Bed On Time.

As you work from home, your routines and patterns will change and disrupt your sleep cycles. Disrupted sleep cycles affect your productivity, reliability, focus and remote collaborations with your team members.

7. Track Your Productivity.

Use an app or a to-do list to stay on top of things. At this point in time, meeting your goals will be dependent on how disciplined you are. So use tools that can help you keep track of how much time you're spending and what tasks you have assigned.

I generally use Notion (@NotionHQ) for anything digital. It's a powerful, very flexible and very customizable tool that synchronizes between web, desktop app and mobile app. Beyond that, I use paper extensively (notebook and post-its).

8. Leave The TV Alone.

Unless your work demands that you tune in to the news. Stay away from anything that could and will distract you. One quick check on the TV can turn into hours of lost time. Even on your laptop, avoid getting started on things that will distract you.

9. Leave The Snacks Alone.

Manage your eating habits as though you were in the office. Take the time to prepare healthy snacks or meals, but eat them within your designated times, otherwise, you'll find yourself eating a lot more and unhealthier than you usually do.

10. Manage Your Internet.

Many of us are used to free office internet and there's a high chance you'll not have access to the same speed or quality of the internet in your homes. Your internet costs will increase significantly unless you manage it well.

The temptation to go to YouTube to watch just one more video will see your monthly data packaged depleted in just days. Manage your internet usage well. For Ugandans, many telecom providers are creating specially discounted bundles to help people work from home at lower costs

11. Be Mindful of Phone Calls.

Where you could have simply walked into a colleague's office, now you'll have to remotely contact your team-mates. Make the calls, get the information you need, but be mindful that the other person may be trying to fix a routine as well.

12. Stay Off Social Media.

Unless your work demands it, social media is a rabbit hole that could end up taking a lot more time than you planned or assumed.

13. Exercise & Stretch.

Exercise and stretch on a regular basis to keep your body and mind healthy, especially since you may be sitting in uncomfortable spaces. Remember, a healthy body is a healthy mind.

14. Stay In Touch.

Use video chat to stay in touch with colleagues. As we self-isolate, it will become increasingly important for us to maintain contact virtually with the outside world. Schedule calls on WhatsApp to talk to friends, colleagues and family.

15. Manage Your Work Hours.

If you had a personal policy of not taking work home, enforce it by creating time boundaries. For example, if you don't take calls or answer emails after 5pm or before 8am, then stick to that policy.

That's it! Let me know if this information is helpful and feel free to add your own.

I created a video on the same topic last week, so check it out for a deeper take.



Have a wonderful week!