Five Tips for Working Productively From Home

If working from home is new to you, staying on task and meeting deadlines may be more difficult than usual. While this is completely normal, it can take time to adjust to your new surroundings. To help to you establish a productive routine, our team at Vancouver Extended Stay has rounded up five tips to consider when working from home:

Meal Prep

Believe it or not, prepping meals and snacks in advance of your work day is a great time-saver. Not only will it help you quickly decide what to eat, it also eliminates the worry of hunger being an added distraction. We suggest keeping healthy snacks on hand such as veggies and hummus, as well as ingredients for a quick and easy meal such as a salad, omelette or sandwich.

If you’re working from your Vancouver Extended Stay apartment, you’ll find everything you need to cook your favourite meal in your fully-equipped kitchen!

Set-up Your Workspace

Next, create a workspace and stock it with the essentials. Whether you have an at-home office, or are setting up camp at the kitchen table, ensuring you have access to your computer and tools such as paper and pens will help you stay productive. We also recommend adding a laptop stand and a mouse to help support your neck and hands. If possible, set up your workspace in a quiet area near natural sunlight.

Tip: If you’re staying with us at Vancouver Extended Stay, you can request a room with an office.

Turn Off Distractions

Once you are set up, tune out all distractions. The idea is to mimic your typical working environment as best as possible, so this means turning off the TV and putting your phone on silent. If you are working in a room with a door, shut it, and if there are any distractions or noise coming from outside, close your windows. Now, you are ready to sit down and organize your day.

Schedule Most Important Tasks First

Start each work from home day with a planned agenda. We recommend scheduling your most important tasks first to avoid putting them off until the next day. It’s also important to discover your high productivity periods and plan accordingly. For example, if you are most creative at 2pm, schedule your calls for the morning and focus on your writing in the afternoon.

Take Breaks

While working from home, it may actually be harder to take proper breaks. We suggest scheduling in time to step away from the computer to refresh your mind and reset your energy. This could include cooking lunch in the kitchen or completing a 30 minute online workout.

What are your top tips for working from home? Let us know by tagging us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, or by commenting below!

If you’re currently looking for long-term accommodation in Vancouver and would like a room with an office, please contact us here.