8 Realistic Tips for Time Management When Working from Home

On-the-job time management is a challenge regardless of one’s workplace, but when working remotely, it can be tougher without the parameters you’re accustomed to when you’re in the office. Here are eight tips for time management that can help you be more effective and productive when working from home.

If you’re working at home with a partner, collaborate on a schedule each day or at the start of the week to determine who will be working where and when, and who will be in charge of any childcare or house duties. Writing it down makes it easier to follow, be it on a shared calendar app or a piece of paper hanging on the refrigerator.

You also might consider using an approach called “windowed work,” if your job and company allow for it. In contrast to a 9-to-5 schedule, you schedule blocks of time throughout the day for business and personal activities. In a recent Robert Half survey, 73% of professionals reported that this approach helps them to be more productive.

Choose separate rooms or areas around the house and designate the expectations for each. For example, the desk you set up in your bedroom is only for work, the living room is only for leisure time, and the kitchen table is only for meals and kids’ schoolwork time. This helps you create the connection between physical space and what to mentally focus on. Using your living room for Netflix binging might make it trickier to get in “work mode” while sitting with your laptop on the couch, so find the best spots in the house to work and play — and try to keep it consistent.

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Take advantage of the wide selection of software designed to help people increase productivity, apps that not only help you keep track of projects, meet deadlines and be more organized, but also alert you when it’s time to take a break or finish out your workday. A reminder to step away can be pretty valuable on afternoons when you lose track of time and would otherwise keep going for an hour or more beyond quitting time.

See these 5 Tips for Boosting Productivity — Wherever You’re Working From

Don’t just throw on a pair of sweats every day. This may not seem like a time management tip, but having a routine — getting up at the same time each day and wearing clothes you wouldn’t mind going out in public in — will help you get in a frame of mind to focus on your work projects. And when you’re focused, you manage your time more effectively.

It’s important to continue taking breaks like you normally would in an office setting. Schedule them on your calendar like you would for any other work meeting, even if it’s for 10 minutes at a time. Not only does this mean you’ll get a reminder, but it’s also a chance to block your calendar so colleagues see you’re busy. Use your free time to take a quick walk or have “watercooler talk” with your coworkers (also known as your family or pets).

Read our post on how to avoid common video meeting faux pas.

Are you finding that social media is constantly distracting you? Log out of your social media accounts during work time so you’re less inclined to use them. You can remove them from your web browser shortcuts or try working on a private or “incognito” browser so you can’t auto-login to any social media pages.

Again, the typical workday may not be the most realistic if you have family obligations competing for your time. You might also notice you’re more productive during nontraditional hours, such as before others in your house wake up or after dinnertime. Whether you’re trying to stick to a set schedule or taking the aforementioned “windowed work” approach, communicate openly with your manager so you’re on the same page about availability and work hour expectations.

Now that your commute home after work might just mean a walk from your kitchen table to the couch, it can be difficult to end your workday definitively. Having mobile access to work email and apps can also make shutting down a challenge.

To maintain a healthy work-life balance, set an alarm to remind yourself when to end your workday. Turn your computer off and store it somewhere away from where you are so you’re not tempted to keep checking in. Some people even disable notifications for work-related apps on their mobile phone at the end of the day.

A final tip: Include your work hours in your email signature or as a status/away message, if possible. That might help cut down on colleagues reaching out to you outside your work hours.