5 Ideas for Staying Focused While Working From Home

More than two years into this pandemic, more and more people are deciding to continue working from home or committing to a hybrid work environment. Working from home promises a level of comfort, safety, and control that working in an office environment might not. 

But at home, distractions lurk around every corner, too. 

Is there a way to stay focused and single-minded during work hours without sacrificing some of that comfort during your leisure time?

Here are 5 tips to staying focused while working from home!

1. Stay Focused by Dressing for the Job You Want

Listen. You will not find a stronger proponent of the sweatpants revolution than I. I happily jumped on the business comfy train when we started working from home. But unfortunately, this might be the best avenue when it comes to staying focused. 

Buttoning up, brushing your hair, maybe even putting on your shoes or some makeup, can really change the vibe of your whole day. Not only will this wake you up, you’ll feel more put together and prepared for the job, especially if you have Zoom meetings that day. 

2. Building a Workstation Can Help Remind You How to Focus!

It’s a lot easier to stay focused when things start to look familiar. 

Set yourself up at a desk and sit up straight, feet on the ground, facing a plain–not distracting–background. Set yourself up somewhere far from the kitchen if you're inclined to snacking.

Avoid rooms with TVs, computers, or other distractions. If you can, sit somewhere separated from other members of the household. Don't be isolated, but don't set yourself up for failure either. 

3. Log Off and Keep your Eye on the Prize

When it’s just you and your laptop all day, it’s almost too easy to just spend “a few minutes” checking Twitter, Instagram, or any other social media. Social media entwines itself so much in our world that many of us are relearning how to focus when it’s right in front of us.

Remove the bookmarks for your favorite social media sites from your Favorites. It’s small, but that extra few seconds spent typing in the URL gives you enough time to reconsider.

If you catch yourself constantly clicking off your work, set a Parental Blocker on yourself. No shame in that. 

4. Stay Connected with Your Coworkers

Don’t completely isolate yourself from your coworkers. Reach out in emails, stay in contact with a close friend at work, or even meet for drinks after hours.

It can be really easy to just put your head down until quitting time and do it all by yourself. But that can really wear you down. Make an effort to stay in contact with other coworkers. 

5. Acknowledge What Change Means to You

No matter how you choose to handle working from home, take care of yourself. The last few years have been uncertain, strange, and scary. We’ve been improvising basically everything for a long time. It’s okay to admit you’re tired, that you’re frustrated, and that you need a break.

Stay positive, keep an open mind, but take care of yourself, too. 

For more about how change can affect your focus, check out ASAP’s article Staying Focused Amid Change. 

Are you an administrative assistant with a passion for helping your business run smoothly? Let the experts at ASAP help you hone your skills with training conferences, webinars, and certification programs for administrative assistants, executive assistants, administrative staff, administrative professionals, coordinators, and more!