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Mar 04 2017

Working from home effectively

Entrepreneurs often run home based businesses and with a home based business, comes a home office. Working from home is great, whether you work for yourself or someone else. Unfortunately many people struggle with being productive while working from home.  Productivity however is something we can all achieve if we simply apply ourselves. Here are 5 tips for working from effectively

 

  1. Have a designated workspace

Having a designated workspace will make it easier to focus on work and avoid distractions at home. Whether you have a desk or a fully functional office room, always make sure you separate your professional and personal spaces.

 

  1. Schedule working hours

Every office has hours of operation and your home office shouldn’t be an exception. In order to work effectively set working hours for yourself and keep to a daily schedule. Whether you’re working 9-5, 10-6 or 7-3 always make sure you get in a full day’s worth of work. You should also implement a daily schedule of tasks you wish to complete within the day. This will help you keep on track and up to date with deadlines and deliverables.

  1. Get dressed

Ever heard of the saying dress for the job you want? Getting dressed for work is a great way to motivate yourself to be more productive at home. Although it’s tempting to spend the day in lounge wear while working from home, being too comfortable doesn’t help with productivity. When people look good they feel good and are more motivated to work hard and be more effective.

  1. Get out

Spending too much time inside is never a good thing. Make it a point to get out of your home office at least once a day. Whether it’s for a meeting with a client or colleague or a quick coffee run. A change of scenery is always a great productivity booster. If your office consists of just your laptop you can even opt to work at a coffee shop a few days of the week.

  1. Take breaks

Down time is an integral part of productivity, so don’t forget to give yourself a break. After all people who work at conventional workplaces often take coffee and lunch breaks. Try to avoid eating your lunch at your desk, step away and take a breather. This will allow you to regroup and collect your thoughts before you get down to work again. However make sure you structure your breaks and be vigilant about how much time you spend on each break.

Praveeni Perera is an experienced entrepreneur having co-founded a training and consulting company catering to clients around the world. Her area of expertise is international expansions. You can connect with her via Twitter or LinkedIn

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Written by Dwania Peele · Categorized: Praveeni Perera · Tagged: breaks, get dressed, hours, Praveeni Perera, work from home, work hours, Workspace

Aug 19 2013

Summer Do's For The Perfect Workspace

HRT-boardroom

Summer is the perfect season to edit spaces. In doing so we keep it feeling fresh, clean and cool. The same should be done with our work-space.

Take a good look around the area that you are working in. Are you walking around things, moving one pile from area to area? Is there too much furniture in the space, too many trinkets, too much paper? De-clutter table tops. Clearing away excess items will give the space an instant lift. Take some time to evaluate what you really need to have around you to accomplish your tasks.

Pay attention to the colours in your space. Working with your corporate colours in the interior, analyze how it relates to summer! If you need to throw in some white to cool the colours down – do so! or add a complementary colour to make your logo pop.  A little bling and sparkle will keep the space bright – cool blue glass to hold pens, a lime green plant holder, a simple crystal vase (and of course indulge in flowers!).

Bring a bit of the exterior in to the interior — be mindful of the spaces that lead directly outside. Bring some of the colours from outside to inside. This might be as simple as a landscape photo, a plant or the colour of files you use! You won’t feel as confined, restricted and desk-bound.

If (like me) you need to have many of the things you’re working on at hand, try to contain them in file folders, envelopes, boxes. Then neatly organize them on a side credenza or perhaps a wall file holder/shelf. They are still accessible but away from your immediate work.

Your immediate work space should have just what you’re working on (oh and I must have a little notebook as I’m forever entering new passwords when sourcing or a phone call comes in and I jot notes). Clear off as much as the surface as possible – this doesn’t mean it has to be sterile and empty. You may be able to clear it enough to accommodate a beautiful plant – a nice visual rest point in the space where paper seems to gather.

The space surrounding your work-surface also needs to be cleared up. If you have too many pieces of furniture around – take some away. Open the space up, be sure your walking path is always clear and your project items accessible.

Meeting spaces should also be clutter-free. Keep the focus on the people, the interaction and the presentation at hand. The boardroom shown here demonstrates simplicity and attention requirements for this space.

Change your light-bulbs to a cool day white – definitely more seasonal and easier to work in.

Experience the many benefits to clearing a desk, tidying a bookshelf, filing paperwork and enjoying the luxury of free space. It will energize you and allow your creative to surface more quickly.

Enjoy the season and challenge yourself to be comfortable no matter what the temperature is outside!

Karen Klucowicz is the lead designer with Erotica Interiors Inc. – a full service design studio that helps bring peoples’ passions alive through interior design – creating sensual private or commercial spaces. 

connect with karen via

www.EroticaInteriors.com 

facebook   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Erotica-Interiors/373175062771124

twitter @EroticaInterior

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Written by Dwania Peele · Categorized: Karen Klucowicz · Tagged: boardroom, Business Woman, Canadian Small Business Women, clutter, colour, entrepreneur, Erotica Interiors, Karen Klucowicz, small business development, summer, Workspace

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