For decades, going into the office for the typical 9-to-5 defined productivity. Nowadays, perfectly legitimate and successful businesses function without any ties to brick and mortar. Still, small business owners can feel they’re losing touch with the outside world, and work-from-homers can feel disconnected from their teammates and out of the loop. How can professionals with no office to go in to stay ahead of the game? Here are some key things you can do right now to stay organized, productive, inspired, and in control without setting up shop in cubicle land.
Carve out some space
While not everyone needs a physical office (and while we know entrepreneurs love their freedom and flexibility), it’s still essential to have some sort of dedicated working space and schedule (more on this soon). Without these two things in place, you’re more likely to work wildly inconsistent hours or never stop working at all. Neither are good for your productivity and can seriously damage your health.
Choose a spot that’s tidy, comfortable and away from distractions. No, it can’t be your bed. Make sure you only perform work-related tasks there. No personal phone calls, online shopping or meal times. It could be a TV dinner table that gets folded back up at day’s end. If it gives you access to everything necessary to be productive, it’s your space.
When you walk into the kitchen, you probably think about food. When you walk past a bathroom, you “remember” you’ve been holding it three hours. Your dedicated work space will be no different. Whenever you enter your work area, which is where your work magic will happen, your mind will know it’s show time.
Set your hours (and don’t play yourself)
A dedicated work space can help keep your work-life balance in check, and having a generally consistent schedule, too, will help prevent burnout and–if your industry allows for flex scheduling–lets you work during times when you function best.
Whether you’re a night owl or early bird, walk the dogs at 11 a.m. or take the kids to soccer practice by 4 p.m., having the flexibility to create the perfect schedule and tailor it to your life an increase your productivity overall. Take advantage of that! If you know you don’t mentally get going until 10 a.m., don’t start your day at 8 a.m. and waste two hours producing sub-par work and feeling miserable every morning.
A fairly consistent schedule also lets your team and your customers know what they can expect from you and when.
Get a headset and participate
Feeling out of the loop because you haven’t checked in for a while or are missing out on sometimes-valuable office conversations can be unsettling. Prevent this by getting connected and staying visible. Call into those meetings and don’t be afraid to set a couple up yourself as status updates for your team. Check in, touch base, and remind people you’re alive. Use CRM that connects you via laptop or phone and gives you access to all the info you need without chaining you to your “office network.” You’ll also have contact management features that are customizable and more fleshed out than your average office directory. Instead of using speakerphone, get a headset. You’ll be able take notes or get work done because you’ll have both your hands free.
Find your village
Being an entrepreneur, small business owner or remote worker can get a little lonely sometimes. It’s easier than ever to connect with people virtually, but we still need basic in-person interaction.
This is where your village comes in. Your village is made up of people who relate to what you do, offer an ear or advice when needed, and help you keep your skills sharp. They also use your industry’s lingo and understand your puns (so you can stop telling the bagger at the grocery store your hilarious programmer jokes and wondering why he doesn’t get them).
Find a meetup group in your area and go have some fun. You can also try office sharing, if available in your area. It’s a great way to meet like-minded, ambitious people who are also living the office-less life. Both these casual networking encounters can sprout new working relationships or customer referrals. You’ll wonder why you haven’t tried it sooner.
Not going into an office every day doesn’t mean you can’t stay a step ahead of the rest. You get to be part of the non-traditional work force and you’re not chained to a desk, so you’ve got room to make moves, experiment and customize as you see fit. Make sure you’re putting all that freedom to work so you can mold and shape it into something that works its absolute best for you.
At Insightly, we offer a CRM used by small and mid-sized businesses from a variety of verticals. Learn about Insightly’s features and plans on our pricing page or sign up for a free trial.
