In today’s day and age, working from home has become the new norm. Individuals from all over the country have had to turn their studio apartments into temporary workplaces. For some, this shift of environment comes easy, others not so much.
These 11 tips found below will help you increase productivity while working in your studio apartment and will aid you in achieving success away from the office.
Maintain a schedule
Sticking to a schedule is an essential aspect of working from your . It can be effortless to hit “Snooze” a few times in the morning, knowing your office is right around the corner. Waking up, eating lunch, and stopping work at the same time, every workday can be extraordinarily beneficial and get you headed in the right direction.
Get dressed
In addition to maintaining a schedule, getting dressed in the morning helps you start the day off on the right track. Getting dressed does not necessarily mean putting on a suit and tie every morning. It merely means changing out of what you wore to bed the night before and cleaning up a bit. This will get you in the right mindset and ready for the day ahead.
Making a work zone
In order to master the art of working from your home studio, it is essential to have a designated work zone that is like your old office in the workplace. If you used three monitors while in the office, use three monitors back at the apartment. Another thing that is recommended is to set up room dividers. Dividing your office space from the rest of the studio apartment is a must. The separate areas allow for needed time away from work while staying in your residence.
Be creative
Finding a spot in your apartment to set up your new office may be tricky. It’s essential to stay open-minded and weigh all the potential options to set up the new studio apartment office. Some possibilities include transforming a closet into your office, going vertical, and using a bookshelf as your makeshift desk/office or even installing a wall desk. There is no right or wrong way to set up your office space, find what works best for you.
Minimize distractions
To work at your full potential away from the office, minimizing distractions is a must. Minimizing distractions means staying off your phone, avoiding taking breaks to play with your dog and to snack, and finding a quiet place where you can focus on the task at hand. Employers expect the same productivity levels from your studio apartment office, so do not let yourself get distracted. Distractions and other issues due to working from home can cause workplace disconnects, as told in a recent study by Checkr where the company found that management and employees have differing opinions on many hot-button workplace issues.
Make sure you have a comfortable chair
As crazy as this tip sounds, it is quite significant. Having an ergonomic chair has been proven to increase productivity in any work environment. Some workers even bring their chairs from the office back to their studio apartments (If it fits, of course). You want your chair to be the right size for you, very comfortable, fit with the theme of your studio apartment, and offer lumbar support. If it is in your price range, Herman Miller chairs have proven to be the best work chairs money can buy.
Keep your apartment clean
This tip goes hand in hand with minimizing distractions. The cleaner your studio apartment is, the more focused you will be on your work. In many studio apartments, there is not as much room as a regular neighborhood house, so keep it clutter-free and clean.
Make sure you have a great internet connection
High-speed internet connection is an integral part of the success of working from your apartment. The last thing you want is to be the team member breaking in and out on a Zoom or FaceTime call. Most studio apartment complexes offer high-speed internet, but in some instances, buying a WiFi extender may come in handy. Once you finish your work for the day, get out of your apartment
Getting out of your studio apartment for some fresh air is extremely important. There have been plenty of times where individuals who work at home have told me that they have recently felt as if they work all day. This is because they procrastinate for large increments of time throughout the day rather than knocking out all their work out at once. Making sure there is time to get out and enjoy the sunshine is much like coming home after a long day, kicking back and relaxing.
Overcommunicate with your co-workers
Staying on the same page with your co-workers is more important now than it ever has been. Since everyone is no longer under the same roof, further communication is needed to make sure ends meet. If one of your team members is not on the same page, everything could fall through, causing significant setbacks to occur.
Make it known … clearly
Lastly, letting everyone who may potentially show up to your studio apartment during the day know that you are going to be working may come in handy. The last thing you want is one of your neighbors barging in around 3 P.M asking if you’re going to go shopping or check out the town.
