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Over the past few years, we’ve seen a huge shift in the way we work. During 2020, the number of people who worked full-time at home rose from 5.1% to 43.1%. In fact, 98% of workers now want to work remotely at least some of the time. But let's face it, working from home is a completely unique way of working. With all the distractions around, it's easy to lose focus and productivity. So, how do you stay on top of your game when working from home? Let's find out!

Create An Environment That Fosters Productivity

Your workspace plays a crucial role in determining your productivity. The environment you work in has a significant impact on your mindset and growth. Employees working in a positive atmosphere tend to be more motivated and produce high-quality work. To create a positive atmosphere while working from home, you must choose a dedicated work area. You should pick a location that minimises distractions, which could mean staying away from the TV or using a room where no one will interrupt you. Other factors include wifi accessibility, available space, noise level, and natural light. 

Did you know that employees working in spaces with natural light tend to have better sleep quality, which results in increased productivity throughout the day?

Now that you have arranged a dedicated workspace, you need to ensure that you have all the necessary equipment. Making small improvements to your workstation can offer a range of benefits. For instance, purchasing an ergonomic chair can help maximise productivity while working from home. It will reduce the likelihood of back pain and increase your energy and confidence levels.

Before you begin working from home, it is highly recommended that you establish a set of clear boundaries with your household. It can be easy for family, friends, or housemates to forget that even though you are at home, you are still working. To minimise any potential disruptions, it would be wise to have a conversation with your household in advance and let them know about your working arrangements.

Get Into Good Habits

When working from home, it's wise to establish a routine. Although there is no pressure to get ready, it's a good idea to follow a similar routine to your typical office workday. Getting ready in the morning will help you maintain a professional mindset, indicating that it's time for work and setting you up for a productive day. In addition to having a morning routine, you should create a daily schedule that suits you. This will assist you in managing your workload and completing tasks efficiently.

It's vital to switch off from work once your shift is over. When working from home, it can be difficult to switch off and unwind without a physical commute to signal the end of your workday. To combat this, it is recommended that you create a short routine that replaces the journey home. 

A good routine could be to review and update your to-do list, check your schedule for the next day, tidy up your workspace, and ensure all equipment is put away. This will help you feel more organised and prepared for a fresh, productive start the next day.

In order to stay productive whilst working from home, you should take short breaks throughout the day. It's best to take regular, brief breaks than to take longer breaks less often. The key to maintaining productivity is to take a 5-10 minute break every 2 hours rather than a 20-minute break every 4 hours.

Productivity Tips

• Set Daily & Weekly Goals - Research shows that goal setting can increase work performance by as much as 20% - 25%. Therefore you should aim to create a set of goals each week, some daily goals, and others more long term. When creating goals, you should follow the SMART criteria. (An example of a SMART goal could be: “As a team, secure 15 sales by the end of the month by using a proactive prospecting approach.” 

S-specific

M-measurable

A-achievable

R-realistic

T-time-bound

• Don’t Multitask - Multitasking can be a killer to productivity. Although doing multiple tasks at once might sound productive, it’s much better to focus on quality over quantity. Multitasking can result in a drop in productivity by as much as 40%! Studies show that our brains can’t handle more than one task at a time. Even though we think we're multitasking, our brains are actually switching rapidly between tasks. Therefore, when trying to be productive you mustn’t multitask.

• Prioritise Tasks Efficiently - You should begin by writing down all your daily, weekly and monthly tasks. Once you’ve got your tasks written down, you can determine which tasks are most important. Consider who the task impacts and the rewards and outcomes of not completing it. Once you’ve determined each task's priority level you can pick an approach to manage them. A common strategy is the “Eat The Frog” in which you would tackle the most time-consuming and challenging tasks before moving on to the quick wins.

With working from home becoming increasingly popular, it's important to understand how to remain productive when working from home. Overall you’ll need to consider the workspace you choose and all the factors that affect productivity. In addition to creating a productive workspace, you'll also have to foster some productive habits like taking regular short breaks and setting goals. 

If you like the sound of remote working, why not explore some of the opportunities AvA-V have to offer?

Networking is an essential part of the job search process as nearly 80% of professionals consider it important for career success. It not only provides valuable career advice but also helps to discover job opportunities that are not advertised elsewhere. Networking is all about establishing relationships with professionals who have similar interests as you. Such professional relationships often last longer than your job search process and offer support whenever required.

The Benefits Of Career Networking

Networking is extremely advantageous for job seekers for various reasons. It can help you to discover new job opportunities that you may have been unaware of before. Many employers choose not to advertise their job vacancies on job boards, which has led to the creation of the "hidden job market". According to Forbes, 80% of jobs are not advertised on job boards, making up this "hidden job market". Networking can help you access this market and increase your chances of finding a job. Referrals account for 85% of all vacancies filled, highlighting the importance of networking.

Building a network of professionals can help you access job opportunities, career support, and guidance. Once you establish a network, you can seek their assistance on various aspects of your career, such as specific tasks, industry news, or career advice. When building your network you can target people who you think would be beneficial to your career. For example, if you need career advice, you can network with recruitment consultants. And if you are stuck on a marketing task, you can connect with marketing professionals.

Networking can be very beneficial for developing self-confidence and improving your overall well-being. By engaging with new individuals, you can enhance your interpersonal skills which are highly sought after by employers. The more often you establish connections, the more effortless it will become.

How To Effectively Build A Professional Network

Networking has become much easier with the advancement of technology. LinkedIn, in particular, has become the ultimate tool for career networking. The best part is that you can do it from the comfort of your own home! To start networking, you must first decide on your desired outcome. Whether you want to find a new career or simply change jobs, you must know what you want to achieve. Once you're clear on your goals, you can start building connections. For instance, if you're looking for a new job in the sales industry, you should connect with sales recruiters and sales professionals.

In addition to LinkedIn, attending industry events and conferences can also be brilliant for networking. Going and creating connections face-to-face can streamline the networking process. It's much more rewarding to see your connections in person and you can often build a better relationship in less time! It's easy to find industry events to attend, all you must do is have a look online. Look for industry speakers and seminars, charity events, career fairs, professional conferences and speed networking opportunities.

Networking Tips

• Set Yourself A Goal - Networking isn’t for social purposes, it's to achieve something. Therefore, it makes sense to set yourself a target. A good target could be the number of new people you want to talk to in a week or day.

• Target The Right Connections - To network effectively, you first must know what you want to do. If you're considering changing industry then you would need to look for connections with people in that desired industry. By targeting the right audience you'll have access to more specific information and have make more valuable connections.

• Provide Value To Your Connections - Networking should create mutually beneficial relationships in which both parties provide value. Therefore, you should share advice or interesting articles with relevant connections whenever possible.

• Keep In Touch With Your Network - It's important to keep in contact with your network and not only when you require support or advice. Even if it's just a brief message saying hello and asking how they’re doing, it's always wise to stay in touch.

Begin Building A Brighter Future

Networking is an incredibly useful tool for job seekers, and hopefully, you now understand its significance. In a highly competitive job market, going the extra mile is necessary if you want to land the job. 

Employers will appreciate the effort you put into creating a tailored CV, and this will increase your chances of being invited for an interview. Now that you realise the importance of networking, why not start today?

“Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow” - Robert Kiyosaki