A 5 Tips to Boost Your Productivity Working From Home 

There’s something wonderful about rolling out of bed and already being in the office. Gone are the days of long commutes and business casual attire- you’ve opted for the freedom and happiness that working from home brings. Following your passion, creating art, and running a business on your own terms are just a few of the benefits you’ve found in being a creative. But how do you stay productive when your couch is just around the corner or you’d love to ditch the inbox and sip tea on the back porch?

At REFINED Co, we get it. Our premium presets and editing tools serve thousands of work-from-home professionals around the world. With a community like that, we’ve been able to compile some tried-and-true tips on boosting productivity when your office doubles as the dining room table. 

Speaking of the dining room table, it’s easier to boost productivity when you have an actual space devoted to your work. Working from the couch (or bed) is lovely in theory, but when it comes down to getting things done…you’ll cross through your to-do list much faster in a motivating workplace. Maybe this IS the dining room table, or maybe you have an entire home office that you can dedicate to your business. The amount of space doesn’t matter so much as the act of setting aside an area in your home that you can go to when it’s time to step into that work mindset. 

Pro tip: Aesthetics are important to everyone, but especially photographers. Be sure to incorporate beauty with functionality- vases, flowers, and candles will inspire you while your laptop and planner will help you get work done. 

Additionally, make sure the tools you use within your online workspace help you stay streamlined and organized. Project Management and Scheduling Softwares like Monday, Asana, and Slack are worth their weight in gold. 

We all have a love/hate relationship with social media, right? On one hand, it’s an incredible tool for connecting with new clients, boosting credibility, and showing off your best work. On the other, it can be a major distraction when you’re trying to remain productive. Research shows that checking social media can contribute to anxiety, avoidance of work, and lack of concentration…but when social media is a part of growing your business it can feel like a necessity. 

Our recommendation: Turn off notifications and log out of social media during your work hours. Delegate specific times within your daily and weekly schedule to log in and accomplish social media marketing tasks. Mindless scrolling has its place, but not during the time you have set aside to work. 

It’s a running joke that entrepreneurs quit their 40 hour per week job to work 24/7. The freedom to work whenever and wherever you want is great, until it backfires and you find yourself pulling yet another late night. Implementing work hours will allow you to set boundaries with clients (and yourself), create work/life integration, boost productivity when you are working, and avoid burnout. It’s not good to think about work all the time- even if your work is something you love. Make plenty of room in your life for hobbies, loved ones, and time filling your own cup. You’ll be able to come back to work with fresh eyes and more motivation than before. 

Within your work hours, be sure to add in short breaks to get moving! Working from home can be very sedentary and it’s a good practice to go on a short walk, do some house chores, or even just stand up and stretch. Your body and mind will thank you. Sidenote: Investing in a sit/stand desk is a great idea for every entrepreneur who spends hours at the computer.  

Routines are a great way to remain productive even when your work-from-home days blend together. Try to create a loose schedule for your days, weeks, and months that have various touch points throughout. Self awareness is great when it comes to routines! Notice when you are the most energetic and creative and then create your routine to play into those strengths. If you are most creative right after breakfast? Add some content creation or styled shoot planning into your morning routine. Similarly, if your energy wanes after lunch, focus on behind-the-scenes work that doesn’t drain you. 

This same concept can also be applied on a broader level by batch working. Batch working simply means “grouping tasks so you can do them all at once”. Instead of writing blog posts every single day, you could write blog posts on Mondays. Editing could be done on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Marketing and backend work on Thursdays. Rinse and repeat. Batch working boosts productivity because you don’t waste any energy on switching between tasks. 

Contrary to popular belief, working from home does not mean you should work in your pajamas. Similar to creating a designated work space, putting on a nice outfit signals your brain to get into the work mindset. Think of getting dressed as preparing for the day- we all perform better when we feel good about ourselves and an endless rotation of loungewear only hinders our mindset and productivity. Don’t believe us? Try getting dressed for a week and notice how you approach your work. We think you’ll be surprised…

Working from home is a great gift! Freedom, time, creativity…the benefits are truly endless and will be magnified when you work to maximize your productivity. 

The final way to experience working from home to the fullest? Find a community that can relate to your work and help you learn and grow. If you’re looking for a group of talented photographers and creative professionals- look no further than REFINED Co. We help you showcase your creativity with presets and editing tools that save time and elevate your look with

timeless beauty. Our Facebook Community is filled with 5k+ industry peers that we know you’ll love. 

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