MY WORK FROM HOME PRODUCTIVITY TIPS
I have been working from home for three and a half years now and I wanted to share some of the things that I have learned along the way. This post is for those of you who are working from home given the current state of the world, and for those who want to work from home more often in general.It takes time to get into a groove working from home because it can feel disorienting at first. You are at home. You want to do at-home things. You have to get used to a new schedule, a new routine, and in many cases nobody there to hold you accountable.
I am by no way perfect. I do feel unproductive sometimes. These are somethings that make me be productive and feel productive.
1. Have a Morning Routine
Our days need structure. It helps us know what to expect when we wake up and sets us up for the day ahead. It’s also important to keep your routine consistent. Things like having a shower, making breakfast, sitting, and enjoying your tea or coffee. Whatever it is that makes you feel good when you first get up. I personally like giving myself an hour or so to do pretty much whatever I want to feel good and ready for the day ahead. Enjoying lemon water by my window for a few minutes is a big part of my morning routine. Having a morning routine not only helps you prepare for the day and feel more balanced and nourished, but it also prevents you from diving into work immediately upon waking while still in bed or your pajamas. In fact, this is why getting ready for the day is essential.2. Get ready for the dayThere’s this idea that working from home means staying in your pj’s and working from your bed all day. And while you could, I personally never do this because it makes me feel lazy and unproductive. Freshening up and acting as if I’m actually heading out makes a world of a difference. Do whatever you can do to make you feel good before jumping into your work mode.3. Tidy up your spaceIt’s important to me that I keep my space tidy and clean as much as possible, especially when it comes to working from home. A messy space creates a messy head. Honestly, I start my day by doing a quick vacuum to clean up any dust or crumbs from the day before. But quick nighttime tidy-up before bed is a good idea here, too. Doing the dishes, organizing your desk, whatever needs to be tidied up a bit. Clutter is distracting.4. Have a weekly schedule and a daily to-do list
I have a weekly schedule and a daily to-do list. This means two things: I have a general idea of what I need to do in an upcoming week such as upcoming projects or deadlines (having these things written down concretely in a calendar is helpful), but I also have a daily to-do list. Having my daily to-do list helps me know what I need to do. It’s as simple as that. Otherwise, I’m pretty lost.5. Keep practical and doable tasks
You want to keep your tasks somewhat to a minimum. I avoid writing down 20 things I want to complete on a given day because it’s way too overwhelming and frankly not going to happen. This ends up leaving us feeling under-accomplished. Instead, stick to maybe 3-5 tasks, or perhaps 1 main task to complete that day. This makes them far more attainable.Don’t forget to celebrate your daily accomplishments, too, even small ones. Be cognizant of what you have been completing, instead of focusing on what you haven’t finished yet. And if you’re having trouble checking things off your list, try breaking your tasks down even further into smaller tasks. Keep them specific, not general.6. Eliminate DistractionsWhen working from home or anywhere for that matter there’s often an inclination to check your phone, social media, or other distractions. This is why I always have my phone notifications and noises turned off. Find a designated space at your home where you can sit and work.It can take 20-25 mins to get back into a focused state after experiencing interruption, and I can attest to this. Once I’m distracted, it takes me a bit of time to get back on track. I have always struggled with being easily distracted and having an easily disrupted attention span, I make an extra effort to eliminate distractions.The thing is, we want to access a state of deep work. That state of mind when you’re really in the zone. You can even try the Pomodoro technique to be productive. I don’t do this too often, but something else you can do if you’re feeling unproductive is to set a timer for completing tasks. Even a timer for just 20 minutes can give us the push we need to get into a focused state. Once you get that momentum going, it’s easier to continue.7. Take Breaks
With all these being said don't forget to take your breaks. Taking breaks is essential for our brain. Eat, stand up, stretch, go for a walk, do some squats, whatever you need to do. When it comes to eating, it’s easy to work through lunch and snacks. But try not to. You need to create a separation between work and play. It’s funny though because some days I just want to snack constantly, whereas other days I forget about breakfast or lunch altogether and realize I haven’t eaten yet. Not good, I admit. Nourishment — and breaks — are essential for keeping our brain running and bodies functioning well throughout the day.
I hope you found these tips helpful. They have definitely been part of my working from home routine for a long time now! If you have any other tips to share or questions at all, leave me a comment below. You can also get them posted on my Instagram post or DM's.
I am by no way perfect. I do feel unproductive sometimes. These are somethings that make me be productive and feel productive.
1. Have a Morning Routine
Our days need structure. It helps us know what to expect when we wake up and sets us up for the day ahead. It’s also important to keep your routine consistent. Things like having a shower, making breakfast, sitting, and enjoying your tea or coffee. Whatever it is that makes you feel good when you first get up. I personally like giving myself an hour or so to do pretty much whatever I want to feel good and ready for the day ahead. Enjoying lemon water by my window for a few minutes is a big part of my morning routine. Having a morning routine not only helps you prepare for the day and feel more balanced and nourished, but it also prevents you from diving into work immediately upon waking while still in bed or your pajamas. In fact, this is why getting ready for the day is essential.2. Get ready for the dayThere’s this idea that working from home means staying in your pj’s and working from your bed all day. And while you could, I personally never do this because it makes me feel lazy and unproductive. Freshening up and acting as if I’m actually heading out makes a world of a difference. Do whatever you can do to make you feel good before jumping into your work mode.3. Tidy up your spaceIt’s important to me that I keep my space tidy and clean as much as possible, especially when it comes to working from home. A messy space creates a messy head. Honestly, I start my day by doing a quick vacuum to clean up any dust or crumbs from the day before. But quick nighttime tidy-up before bed is a good idea here, too. Doing the dishes, organizing your desk, whatever needs to be tidied up a bit. Clutter is distracting.4. Have a weekly schedule and a daily to-do list
I have a weekly schedule and a daily to-do list. This means two things: I have a general idea of what I need to do in an upcoming week such as upcoming projects or deadlines (having these things written down concretely in a calendar is helpful), but I also have a daily to-do list. Having my daily to-do list helps me know what I need to do. It’s as simple as that. Otherwise, I’m pretty lost.5. Keep practical and doable tasks
You want to keep your tasks somewhat to a minimum. I avoid writing down 20 things I want to complete on a given day because it’s way too overwhelming and frankly not going to happen. This ends up leaving us feeling under-accomplished. Instead, stick to maybe 3-5 tasks, or perhaps 1 main task to complete that day. This makes them far more attainable.Don’t forget to celebrate your daily accomplishments, too, even small ones. Be cognizant of what you have been completing, instead of focusing on what you haven’t finished yet. And if you’re having trouble checking things off your list, try breaking your tasks down even further into smaller tasks. Keep them specific, not general.6. Eliminate DistractionsWhen working from home or anywhere for that matter there’s often an inclination to check your phone, social media, or other distractions. This is why I always have my phone notifications and noises turned off. Find a designated space at your home where you can sit and work.It can take 20-25 mins to get back into a focused state after experiencing interruption, and I can attest to this. Once I’m distracted, it takes me a bit of time to get back on track. I have always struggled with being easily distracted and having an easily disrupted attention span, I make an extra effort to eliminate distractions.The thing is, we want to access a state of deep work. That state of mind when you’re really in the zone. You can even try the Pomodoro technique to be productive. I don’t do this too often, but something else you can do if you’re feeling unproductive is to set a timer for completing tasks. Even a timer for just 20 minutes can give us the push we need to get into a focused state. Once you get that momentum going, it’s easier to continue.7. Take Breaks
With all these being said don't forget to take your breaks. Taking breaks is essential for our brain. Eat, stand up, stretch, go for a walk, do some squats, whatever you need to do. When it comes to eating, it’s easy to work through lunch and snacks. But try not to. You need to create a separation between work and play. It’s funny though because some days I just want to snack constantly, whereas other days I forget about breakfast or lunch altogether and realize I haven’t eaten yet. Not good, I admit. Nourishment — and breaks — are essential for keeping our brain running and bodies functioning well throughout the day.
I hope you found these tips helpful. They have definitely been part of my working from home routine for a long time now! If you have any other tips to share or questions at all, leave me a comment below. You can also get them posted on my Instagram post or DM's.
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