Intended for:
This Time Management at Home document provides clear information and guidance on how to effectively manage your time when working from home. It provides insights into how to avoid procrastination, interruptions and the large number of other distractions that can cause poor time management when working at home.
Training course contents:
This time management at home infographic contains one fact sheet that will provide valuable information for home workers. These tips include…
Stay away from personal tasks
This is one of the biggest downfalls of working at home. It may seem quick to wash a couple of dishes, but then you’re also putting in a load of laundry, paying bills and taking out the dog.
If you notice personal tasks while you’re working, write them down next to your workstation and start on them as soon as you’re done for the day.
Don’t surf the web
Many jobs today require using the internet, sometimes during your entire shift. Surfing the web can lead to large amounts of wasted time — not to mention if you start scrolling through social media.
Tidy desk, tidy mind
Create a simple, structured filing system for your paperwork, digital files and email content, filing information regularly as you receive it.
Establish clear objectives
Create and maintain a to do list of everything which needs to be done and add estimates for how long you’d anticipate spending on each task.
Keep your ‘to do’ list up to date.
Prioritise
Assign each task a priority rating of urgent, high, medium, or low, adding any deadline dates associated with each task.
Review your list every day, updating and re-evaluating as priorities shift.
Do not disturb
Set boundaries with yourself and those around you where you have fixed ‘Do not disturb’ periods which will allow you to ‘get into the zone’ and make real progress with your work.
Turn off distractions such as message notifications.
Delegate
Delegate tasks appropriately where possible.
Keep these tasks on your to do list, as this reminds you to follow up on their progress.
Avoid repetition
If you find you’re constantly performing similar tasks over and over, come up with a strategy to streamline the process to avoid repetition.
Stop multi-tasking
Your brain can take 15 minutes to refocus whenever you switch tasks.
Try focusing on one task at a time and switch focus only when you finish.
Determine when you’re most productive
If you love quiet mornings and feel focused, try working on more challenging tasks and if you feel tired after lunch, consider answering emails or making phone calls at that time.
Regular breaks
Take at least a 30-minute break for lunch, get some air and do something physical to stimulate the body and mind, such as a brisk walk.
The Time Management at Home Infographic document can be downloaded for free from the link at the bottom of this page.
Objectives:
This time management at home document will help ensure you are able to work more effectively from home and gives you key tips for managing your time.
