Thanks to the covid-19 lockdown, the majority of people have switched to working at home for a longer time. Sometimes, it might get difficult to create boundaries between work and personal life.
Here are nine productivity tips for folks who work from home during the pandemic, so you can enhance your productivity and lead a better work-home life.
1. Organize Your Working Hours
Set a work schedule and stay committed to it. It is important to have a clear work from home plan, especially when it comes to knowing when to start and stop working—this is one of the huge factors that will help you maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Working at home has the benefit of flexibility, so you can easily choose when to start your work and when to take a pause.
Most importantly, consider your sleep schedule before setting up flexible working hours.
Pro Productivity Tips: Use an automatic time-tracking app to check your productivity hours and help you stick to your schedule.
2. Practice a Morning Routine
Before sitting in your chair and starting with your work, practice a routine that helps you get started with your workday and increase your productivity.
It can be as simple as making yourself a warm cup of coffee, or meditating for a few minutes, getting a quick exercise in your mini home gym, and checking up on your to-do lists. A morning routine will help you get started each day.
3. Set-up a Dedicated Office Space
Having a separate workspace at home that is packed with useful office tools will help you focus better and enhance your productivity. Set up your desk near a window so that you can enjoy the light and view. The fresh air will give you a refreshing feeling, and you’ll be able to concentrate better.
4. Set Ground Rules at Your Home
Since almost everyone in your household might be working from home during Covid-19, it’s essential to set a few ground rules with other people in your home.
If you are a parent, make clear rules about your working hours and tell your family members not to make a mess or make unnecessary noise during that time.
Similarly, just because you're working at home and can help your parents in the house or take care of pets doesn't mean your family members should assume you will always do it. Dividing the household chores can be a great start in setting some ground rules in your home.
5. Take Your Breaks
Study your company's policy on break times and make sure to use them. If you're a freelancer or self-employed, take frequent breaks during the day or take a walk away from your computer screen and your phone. Get a good lunch hour and two 15-minute breaks to unwind from work stress.
6. Go Outside
You can go outside for a short walk, only if it's allowed and safe during the covid-19 outbreak, and don’t forget to maintain social distancing.
If you are working at a co-working space, leave the building at least once a day and go for a short walk. Your body needs to move to perform better mentally. The natural light and fresh air will keep you in good shape.
7. Don’t Skip the Meetings
The pandemic has forced us to attend video conferences and conference calls, but attending optional meetings is a good idea. Make sure to speak up during the meeting. A simple “Good Morning!” or "Thanks, everyone. Bye!" at the beginning and the end of a meeting will go a long way towards making your presence noticed.
8. Take Sick Days
If you are not well, don’t hesitate to take a day off. Not taking your sick days is like throwing away money. Suppose you're self-employed and don’t have paid sick days. In that case, it might be a little concerning for you to take a sick day off, but it’s always best to take some rest and get better so that you can perform even better later.
9. Don't Be Too Hard on Yourself
The work at home environment might force you to work a little extra and complete your household chores along with your work, but it’s going to affect your physical and mental health. Cut yourself some slack, enjoy your breaks, and remember to balance productivity with self-care.
Did you find this list helpful? Do you have any productivity tips to add? Share this post!
Also, don’t forget to check work from home productivity tools here!