Tips for staying productive whilst working at home

More and more, people are taking advantage of the freedom and flexibility to work at home, rather than in the traditional office space. And now with coronavirus sweeping across the world, more of us will be finding ourselves at home. With that comes a certain mind-set shift to ensure we stay productive and on top of our work as much as we can. Here are some tips:

Create yourself a workspace – it’s tempting to grab your laptop and chill in bed whilst you work. But that won’t help get yourself into work mode – or help you switch off later at night. Find a space away from your bed to work peacefully, whether that be the kitchen table, the sofa in your living room or a desk in the bedroom. Having clear separation between work and relaxation will help put yourself in the right frame of mind.

Get dressed – similarly, getting yourself out of your pyjamas and into some everyday clothes shifts your mood from lounging to work mode. It doesn’t have to be a full on suit or tonnes of make-up, but putting on proper clothes can really help to boost your productivity.

Set up a group chat – how many times do you ask the colleagues sitting around you a question? I do all the time! If you’re lucky enough to have Skype, Microsoft teams, Slack, or another instant messaging services on your laptop, use it to your advantage to ask questions, delegate, or discuss tasks. Even WhatsApp could work. This will also help you not feel so alone if you’re not used to work at home.

Put away the distractions – whilst you might take more advantage of the freedoms of being at home, like listening to music whilst you work, make sure you don’t find yourself giving into more temptations – like scrolling through Instagram, getting sucked into a YouTube video spree, or online shopping – just because nobody is around to see you do it. Put away your phone if you need to.

Try the Pomodoro method – if you find it hard to stop yourself from succumbing to your distractions or you find yourself constantly finding something to do other than the work you’re meant to be doing, try the Pomodoro technique. It consists of breaking down your worktime into 25 minute chunks with short breaks in between. That way, you always know when you can check your phone or make a tea during your next break and focus on the task at hand when it’s time to work.

If you have any of your own tips, let us know in the comments below. Happy working from home!

 

5 tips to be more productive

Tip One: Start your day the night before 

Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you’re working through the night! Instead get organised for the day ahead and get a good night’s sleep. Pack your bag, make your breakfast and your lunch, set out your clothes, put your coffee mug in place, whatever you can do to get yourself prepared for the next day, so when you do get up, you’re ready to go.

Tip Two: Get up earlier and accomplish a simple task

For many of us, getting up earlier than we need to is never easy. But even an hour of half an hour earlier is enough time to achieve something. You’ll feel so productive when you accomplish a simple task before your work or school day begins. Get some cleaning done or some laundry done, or do 20 minutes of exercise. Once you’ve already ticked something off, you’ll feel raring to go to complete the next thing!

Tip Three: Plan your week and write it down

Some people like to do this on a Sunday, others on a Monday morning, and many of us not at all. But if we already know at the beginning of the week what we want to achieve and when we’re going to achieve it, then we’re already part of the way there. Sure things might come up and slightly mess up your plan, but you’ll still be able to keep track of your tasks. And what better feeling is there than ticking off your to-do list?

Tip Four: The to-do list

When you’re planning for the day, be realistic. Don’t write an endless to-do list because you’ll most likely feel overwhelmed and talk yourself out of doing any of it. Instead think about what the three most important things are that you have to do and work to accomplish those. Anything on top of that is a bonus. Start with the most important task and focus on one thing at a time.

Tip Five: Structure your day 

If you don’t know what time you’re going to be finishing for the day or you don’t know when your next break will be, chances are you will find yourself working more slowly or procrastinating. Make sure you give yourself enough breaks to clear your mind, scroll through instagram or facebook, and eat. And make sure you set boundaries for when the day will end so you can have some time to relax and do whatever you like in the evening.

Let’s do this!

(Image: Clipart Kid)

Three Ways to Be Productive This Week

Some of us associate the beginning of the week with being tied down and trapped in chore of work and routine, but we should start looking at Mondays as powerful and compelling, that give us passion and enthusiasm to get moving and get things done. We are in control of our lives and have the power to influence where it goes. So here are three ways to be more productive and beat that slump at the beginning of the week:

1. Set goals, break them down into achievable actions and create a to-do list with three main tasks for each day. This helps us focus on the bigger picture and to start the day with intention. Begin with the biggest, hardest and most time-consuming task to give it your full attention and energy, and focus on each task at a time. As the week progresses, spend 15 minutes each morning looking over that to-do list, altering it accordingly, and revisiting your main goals to refresh your passion and motivation for them.
2. Get enough sleep, wake up at least an hour earlier than your normal wake-up time, and establish a routine. By waking up earlier, we begin the day by already feeling productive, because we’ve firstly accomplished the task of actually getting up earlier but also managed to get other things done before we would have even woken up on a normal day. Then, by giving ourselves distinct working hours with regular breaks, we can tune our brains to expect certain tasks at certain times of the day, which allows us to focus and succeed.
3. Clear away the clutter, in your external environment, your mental environment and your virtual environment. Keep your working space clear, write down all your anxieties or sudden thoughts in a notebook to revisit later, and turn off all unnecessary electronic devices and websites, including emails and your phone. Learn to say no to menial business and eliminate your distractions by working in a calm place. If you are particularly susceptible to procrastination, use your breakfast time as time worthy of all your bad habits, to get all that internet browsing and idling over with from the outset.

I hope you all begin your week with purpose, perseverance and discipline! Remember, we are the only ones in control of our life, so take it and use it.

(Image: http://www.fitnessquoteimg.com)