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Staying Productive at Home

Staying connected throughout the Covid-19 pandemic is an overwhelming task. Now that most people are working from home it’s getting harder for most us to distinguish the passing weeks. It’s especially hard to feel productive when work and home become synonymous. These five tips will hopefully be a guide to staying happy, healthy, and productive while working from home.

Cultivate a routine

During this time, falling into poor sleeping and eating patterns seem inevitable. Start by setting wake-up and eating times for yourself Monday through Friday. This will provide a basic structure for your week. When it comes to work it can be easy to spend twelve hours at the computer when normally your day job ends at five. Feel out your personal work situation and pinpoint an ending time for each day. Just like if you were still in the office everyone needs a break.

Set boundaries

If you are living with family or a roommate make sure to have a positive conversation about your boundaries. Coordinate your schedules and communicate openly if you need time alone to work. Your personal preference for work conditions might be complete silence, while your fellow roommate may work best with loud music. Talk about these small details and come to a polite compromise. This conversation will help avoid conflict and lead to a better understanding.

Create a Workspace

This one can be tough if you do not have a home office or a separate space to carry out your work. A quiet spot to take Zoom calls or answer emails is essential. If you have a home office, make sure to close the door when you are done for the day. However, if you do not have a separate workspace other than your bedroom, find a bag or container to put away your work items. That way at the end of a workday you can leave your materials out of sight and out of mind.

Practice Self Care

Self-care is extremely important right now. Take some time to yourself by cooking a nice dinner, reading a great book or even tidying up your space. The smallest details can feel like a great triumph with everything moved online. Tidying up shows active pride in your space whether it’s the kitchen, home office or bedroom. Creating a home with less clutter and more items that bring you joy is a great way to show yourself some care.

Get outside

A great way to get your brain stimulated again is with fresh air. If you are tied to your desk most of the day, open a window, take a quick ten-minute walk, or a drive with the windows down. If you are practicing social distancing this can be a great way to clear your head.

Hopefully, these suggestions will help you move towards an organized week. With the state of the world being out of our hands for the time being, a feeling of lost control is completely normal. Whatever small ways we can hold onto order and normalcy is more important than ever. We hope everyone has a safe and productive week!