Working from home is hard enough at the best of times, with a range of distractions, and the occasional unbalance of your work and home life. During the summer months, it can be especially difficult to stay focused. If you don’t have any vacation time planned and intend to run your home business throughout the season, we have some tips to help you improve your productivity, despite the challenges that summer can bring.
Survival Tip #1: Prepare your home office
During the hottest months of the year, it can be difficult to stay focused. You will literally be sweating it out over your computer if you don’t make some small but significant changes to your office environment. For example, consider the following.
– Install an outdoor awning or a set of blinds over your window. This will deflect the heat and sharp brightness of the summer sun and will counter the effects of sun glare when you’re trying to work.
– Check your air conditioning in good time, and if it isn’t working, call out a professional to repair it. You need that cool air flow in your home office to regulate the temperature, helping you to stay cool in both senses of the word when trying to stay on top of your workload.
– As well as utilizing your air conditioner, purchase an office fan as well. Position it for maximum impact on your desk, and enjoy the cool breeze while you work. Office fans are cheaper than having your a.c. running 24/7 as well, so this will help you cut down on your expenses.
– If you don’t want to block out the sun, take steps to prevent sun glare on your computer screen. You could reposition your office furniture to alleviate the problem, or you could take the simpler step and purchase an anti-glare screen filter to make viewing your computer monitor less difficult.
– You will need cool drinks on hand, so to help you stay hydrated and away from distractions in the rest of your house, purchase a mini-refrigerator for your office space. Stock it with all the drinks and snacks you will need for your working day.
Survival Tip #2: Deal with summer distractions
No matter how prepared your home office is, there are still distractions that will interrupt your productivity. The following are examples.
– Summer can be a diabolical time for those of us who suffer from allergies. If you have itchy or runny eyes and are sneezing constantly, you won’t be able to focus on the tasks at hand. To alleviate the problem, see your pharmacist and pick up some over the counter treatments to help make your summer less miserable. You should keep your windows shut as well, especially if you are affected by grass pollen. These allergies are a nuisance at the best of times, but they are a real killer when you’re trying to work.
– We all know how annoying the sound of a fly can be when we’re trying to work. That constant buzz as they fly around the room, and the irritability of them landing on our desk and computer screen. However, flies aren’t the only insect you will be dealing with over the summer, as a number of pests will land in your home. To solve the issue, call out a commercial pest control service to deal with these pests at the source, and weather-proof your home and office with caulk and wire meshing to keep these distracting creatures out.
– Bugs and pests aren’t the only visitors you will be having over the summer. You may have family and friends looking to pop by, whether it’s for an extended stay or a daytime visit. While you don’t want to be rude, you still need to remind them of your working hours. They may be on their vacation time, but if you have to work, a few ground rules need to be laid out in advance.
Survival Tip #3: Give yourself a break
If you are able to take any time off during the summer, then do so. This is especially true if you have a family, as you should make the most of their time away from work or school while you can. Booking in some vacation time is also good for your health, as you will only burn yourself out if you work all summer long without any relaxation time. If you do have to work daily, at least give yourself a breather now and again. Take a walk into the garden, enjoy a little bit of the sun before it finally goes away, and replenish your energy levels.
Finally
Whatever you’re doing this summer, we hope you have a wonderful time. If you are working, follow our tips to help you maintain productivity over these (hopefully) warmer months.
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