Working from home absolutely has its perks,but with it several, never considered challenges. I’ve put together a list of tips now that working from home and how to do so productively!
1. CREATE A SPACE
Create a dedicated (if you can) space for you to work, give it some character and home-y-feels and support local business while doing so! It’s easy to takeover too many areas in the house and you will waste time trying to get into“work mode”. Keep the space defined, the less you spread out the more productive you will be. Tidy up at the end of your day, so you can jump straight into highly productive activities from the get-go.
2. DRESS FOR THE OCCASION
Get out of your pj's every.single. day! Pick outfits and clothes to suit the days’ activities;keeping this routine will have you in the right head space to differentiate between starting work and finishing work and will help keep you off the lounge chair throughout the day!
3. SCHEDULE & SET HOURS
Start your day maintaining your normal routine (exercise,coffee etc)
Have set work hours and use time blocking throughout the day to ensure the day is as productive as possible. Set alarms to keep you on track with the set time allocated. Get organised or you will find your productivity will slip – even with strict time blocking!
Take breaks as necessary and have shared lunch with your family who are home as well.
Treat 5pm (or whatever your usual finish time) like a deadline! Shutting down and switching off on time will assist to increase your productivity during your standard working day.
4. Keep your MINDSET in check
Shift your energy and focus not on what has been taken away from you or lost, but rather what this gives you, an opportunity to reconnect with yourself and challenge yourself in a new way! Not having social interaction can be extremely detrimental to mental health, so it’s important despite not being face-to-face we utilise technology and stay connected! There is a silver lining, looking there will get you through this.
5. Change your STATE
It can be frustrating being stuck in the same place day in day out. Home is now your place of work, school for the kids, and place of rest – all the lines are now blurred! Be intentional with what energy you want to create throughout the day.
Have lunch outside – you’ve got the perfect opportunity to do this now that you might not have had before. Play some music, light some incense or diffuse oils, make your bed, DANCE, play with kids or pets,move your body!
Don’t just sit in a slump and waste your time sulking – control your environment = control your state of being!
6. Disconnect
Give you are already physically unplugged from the world, why not disconnect from technology! Get your phone out of the bedroom, watch less TV, get off social media!
Technology can be so valuable at a time like this too, so ensure you’re using it to help bring about positivity through FaceTime with family and friends, or phone calls to people you haven’t spoken to or seen for a while. Remember to when you are connected to technology, you’re not connecting with those around you; including yourself.
7. Get Out into Nature.
Little outings like walking the dog during meetings, sitting in your garden to have lunch, having your morning coffee outside, walk to the park/ beach/ forest or around the block when the opportunity arises – these will ground you and recharge you!
Most importantly don’t rush this time – you’ve got so much more time now, you’re no longer commuting, socialising or going out. Invest this time in something meaningful!
As handy is it having Netflix don’t waste this opportunity to grow, connect, learn and create!
We can all come out of this challenging period as winners– be it winning our day, our routine, our family life or our jobs / business.
