Times have changed so quickly over the last few months due to a global pandemic. Many people are suddenly finding themselves working from home for the foreseeable future. There are no words to describe what we are going through right now and we don’t know what the future holds, but working from home and self-isolating is the best right now for everyone that can.
I have been working from home for the last few years so I’ve had a long time to adjust and find what works for me. While I don’t stick to this list perfectly every day, there are 5 things that make a big difference when I do. Below I am sharing my 5 tips to help you stay productive when working from home.
5 Tips to Help you Stay Productive When Working From Home
1 Stick To A Schedule
Your best bet for staying productive while working from home is finding a schedule and sticking to it. If you worked at your office for 8 hours with 2 breaks and a lunch break, try to stick with that while you’re working from home. This will also be beneficial for you if/when you return to your office for regular work. I use a Day Designer planner or a planning sheet like THIS one to plan out my day the night before. During your scheduled work hours, it can be tempting to do housework at the same time but this can really divide your attention and make it hard to focus. Schedule in some time every night for housework and to tidy up so you aren’t tempted to clean anything in the morning. Planning is key!
2 Prep your meals ahead of time
One of the positive things about working from home is that you can have fresh homemade meals. Let me tell you from experience, this can be a BIG time waster if you aren’t careful. You start thinking “oh I can make a fresh surf and turf for lunch” and next thing you know, hours have passed. Planning what to eat before you start working will help you stay productive. You don’t have to fully cook the meals until you’re ready but doing things the night before like chopping veggies can save you from getting distracted during work hours. Not to mention, having things ready will help relive decision fatigue and help you not overeat snacks because they’re easier at the time.
3 Use Scents for Productivity
Fragrance has more power over how we feel than we give it credit for. Think about that relaxing scent you smell when you go to a spa. For me when it’s work time, I like to diffuse citrus scents for a boost of energy and alertness. Other great scents for productivity are peppermint, cinnamon, and rosemary. When it’s post-work relaxation time, I like to switch to more relaxing scents like lavender or jasmine. If you don’t have a diffuser, you can try switching candles for “work mode” vs “relax mode” to help you feel different even though you’re in the same environment.
4 Get Dressed, but not for the office
Most people will tell you that if you want to be productive when you’re working from home, get dressed like you would if you were going to work. Depending on what your work dress code is, it can be very uncomfortable to do while you’re at home. Also staying in PJs and a bun all day can lead to some of the most unproductive days (i promise you that from experience lol). Still wake up and get ready like you usually do but you can change into lounge clothes instead of business clothes. You’ll feel much better and more likely to be productive if you still somewhat groom and change for the day.
5 Find a Dedicated Work Space
You may or may not have a desk at home but either way, it’s important to find a place in your home that you go to for your working hours. Preferably not the bed and also as far away from any distractions like the TV as possible. Even in you just sit in a different chair while you’re working instead of the couch, having this dedicated space to work will help keep you focused.
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Are you currently working from home? What tip helped you the most? Let’s chat! Leave a comment below.
P.S. Check out my other posts HERE for some free time reading.