8 Ways to be More Productive When Running a Business From Home

Although running a business from home gives you a great deal of freedom and independence, it does come with a wide range of challenges. Above all, many people find it difficult to remain productive when working at home as opposed to a traditional office. Remote working poses serious productivity obstacles at times, such as more distractions, isolation, and blurred boundaries between the personal and the professional.

Maintaining productivity is essential for home-based business owners, and you need to find systems to help you save time and boost efficiency. Everyone is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach; you need to find the solution that works for you.

The following article outlines eight great ways to maximise your productivity when running a business from home.

Set clear working hours

It is important to have routine and structure when running a business, and when you don't have an office to go to, it becomes easier to keep working well into the evening. Set a consistent work schedule, whether it’s a standard nine-to-five or a different timeline that works better for you. Stick to these hours rigidly, and communicate them to your family and clients to set expectations. This will improve your focus and your work-life balance.

Create a dedicated workspace

Sending emails from bed or writing proposals in front of the TV is not conducive to productivity. Having a specific work-only area in your home will minimize distractions and improve your concentration. If you’re lucky, you will have a dedicated office or spare room you can commandeer, but if space is limited you may need to carve out an area in your living room or bedroom to serve as a workspace.

Make sure you have all the right equipment, such as computers, storage solutions, a desk and an ergonomic office chair. Let your family know you need privacy during these working hours so you can establish your boundaries.

Plan your day

If you neglect to plan out each working day, you end up reacting to tasks and having no structure whatsoever. Every email and phone call that comes in will send you in a new direction and although you'll be busy constantly, your efficiency will plummet. Instead, create daily to-do lists and block out time for each task, in order of priority. Set time to check emails so you are not constantly distracted and reacting to everything that lands in your inbox.

Use technology

When it comes to productivity, technology is your best friend. There are countless productivity tools and apps that will help you get more done and streamline your operations. Some tools are industry-specific, for example if your business is to do with waste disposal, you can research your competition more efficiently with a dedicated waste hauler competitor app.

Other productivity tools are more general, allowing any business owner to automate processes, schedule tasks, store files, save data, and manage projects in a time-efficient way. These tools reduce manual work and mental load, reducing stress and freeing you up to focus on growing your business.

Minimise distractions

At home, there are more opportunities for distraction than in an office, which is a purely work-focused environment. It’s so easy to switch on the TV, head to the kitchen for a snack, or just browse social media, knowing there is no one there to judge you or get you back on track.

Managing phone usage is the first step. You probably need to use it for work in some respect but try blocking social media and other apps you don’t need to use. Turn off notifications and only check your phone at certain times. Again, make sure to set boundaries with other members of the household and let them know you need privacy and quiet during work hours.

Batch similar tasks together

When creating your to-do list and prioritizing your daily jobs, try to put similar tasks together. This is known as task batching, and is a great way to maximise efficiency in your working day. The idea is that switching between tasks is much easier when they are related or have a similar context, as it reduces mental fatigue and maintains your flow.

For example, don’t go straight from writing a blog article to balancing your accounts. Instead, try to group tasks into categories such as marketing, emails, or admin work. This makes the transitions easier and you’ll get more done throughout the day.

Take regular breaks

A common misconception is that the more time you spend working, the more productive you will be. But this is completely untrue. Taking regular breaks actually improves productivity as it helps to maintain energy levels and focus, and avoid burnout. Take short breaks at least once every hour to move around, stretch and get away from your screen. Ensure you have some longer breaks more frequently throughout the day too.

Track your time

The best way to be more productive is to understand how your time is actually spent. You could use a clock or timer to log the amount of time you spend on certain tasks and review this regularly. But you can be more accurate with a dedicated time-tracking tool. After a few weeks of this, you may find that you’re spending far too much time responding to emails so you can fix this by allocating a fixed time block for email admin each day. Your insights will allow you to adjust your habits and get much more done each day.

Conclusion

In summary, productivity at home is not about willpower or laziness; it is about having the right systems in place. Every single business owner is completely different, and you may find that solutions that work for some do not work for you at all. Experiment with different tools and routines and see what makes a positive impact on your productivity and workload.

Just remember that small improvements add up over time, and your business will not change overnight. Just be patient, keep trying, and it will all work out in the end.