The ongoing pandemic has forced many offices to close down and shift to online work. Most employees are working from home. While this is the safest solution, given the circumstances, you should also make sure that you are focused and healthy even though your old schedule is no longer valid. Working from home can prove to be hectic as you will have to juggle office work and chores at the same time. On some days, you will not feel productive at all. But to get work done within deadlines, you have to focus. So, fill up a flask or an insulated water bottle with coffee and create a new schedule for yourself. Take a look at the tips given below to concentrate on work, without feeling too stressed.
What Are the Best Ways to Stay Productive while Working from Home?
1. Set a Morning Routine
To have a productive day, you should wake up at a reasonable hour. Once you wake up, do some yoga to feel fresh and alert. Make sure that you have a full breakfast. If you think you are still not awake enough to go to work, keep some warm coffee in a flask and take sips from it while doing some chores. Your morning routine should prepare you for the rest of the day and it will help you focus better.
2. Create a Comfortable Workspace
When you are working from home, it is important to create a proper office atmosphere. Now, you might not want to experience being stuck in a cubicle all day long, but having a designated workspace helps. You can have a separate room in your home for work or even a desk in the study or the bedroom will work. Keep all essentials like stationary, laptop, charger, and even a jar of snacks nearby. Fill an insulated water bottle with your favourite beverage to sustain you for a few hours.
3. Minimize Background Noise
It is easy to get distracted when you are working from home, especially when you are around family. The sounds of people talking, doing chores, or playing in the background can make it difficult to focus. Bring all essentials like your phone, lunch box or a flask of coffee into the workspace so that your family members do not come in to give any of those things. They may stop for a chat and that will just add to the distractions.
4. Prioritise Tasks
You might have a long list of things to do and so you should make a task list. Once you have listed all the tasks, rank them according to how important each task is. Tackle all the important tasks first before moving on to the ones that can be done at a later hour or even date. Prioritising your tasks will help you meet deadlines, without creating any stressful situations.
5. Stick to the Schedule
At home, you will have to focus on many things at once. This is why you need a schedule. Assign time slots to each chore, so that you can get them done before or after you finish your office work. If you are able to stick to the schedule you will be able to complete all work within a certain period. However, do not forget to take some rest. Include tea breaks in your schedule and sip some of that warm beverage from an insulated water bottle before going back to work.
6. Use Trackers
The best way to remember all the tasks you have and their deadlines is to use trackers. You can use online tracking apps or you can just create a tracker on a notepad and follow it for the day. Trackers help you have a clear idea of how many tasks you have completed and how many you need to so that you do not get confused on particularly busy days.
7. Drink and Eat Healthy
There might be several hectic days when you are working from home. But you should not neglect your health on such days. Take all your meals on time and drink plenty of water. You can keep a smoothie or even hot chocolate on a winter day in an insulated water bottle. This will help you have a quick, but fulfilling drink even while working.
8. Keep a Journal on the Desk
You might be thinking about a million things when you are trying to concentrate. Some of these thoughts may be important. This is why you should keep a journal on your desk. Use it as a brain dump and write down all relevant pieces of information. Once you have done that, you can go back to work with a clear head and return to those points at a later time.
9. Take Time to Socialise
Working from home does not mean that you should completely isolate yourself from family, friends, and colleagues. During the pandemic, it is wise to not go out and interact with others. But, you can still socialise. Take time off from work to call your family and friends and ask them about their day. Organise informal meetings over video calls with your colleagues. These small steps towards socialising with others will provide immense emotional support.
10. Do Not Overwork Yourself
Breaks between work are very important. Even when you have an extremely busy day, take some time off for yourself. You can go for a short walk to stretch your legs or even do a quick workout routine. Keep some refreshing drinks in a bottle or flask. You can also munch on some healthy snacks like nuts, granola bars or fruits. Working too much can be very unhealthy and will disrupt your sleeping schedule. This can cause fatigue and even cause physical problems like severe back ache or cramps.
Final Words
You might think it is more comfortable to work from home and while that might be true, you can also get distracted or be burdened with too many tasks. This is why you should have a work routine that suits you and keep some time for self-care. While working, keep the stainless steel water bottle and healthy food to get adequate nourishment, even on long work days.