Knowing a few work from home productivity hacks will help you easily transition from office life.
2020 will go down in history as a crazy, unforgettable year, indeed. And we’re only getting started. (That’s a scary thought.)
If you’re anything like me, you wouldn’t exactly give yourself a gold star for the last three weeks of your work. Understandably, the whole world is suffering from a pandemic, and everyone is affected—some more than others.
I want to take a moment and pray for the businesses and employees who have been directly affected by COVID-19. Just a short five months ago, on October 1, 2019, I took the plunge, quit my job, and moved out of NYC to build this blog full-time. I was a server and most definitely counted on my paycheck while living in the big city. I feel like I escaped a bullet big time, and I know many people are hurting financially. My thoughts are with you.
And for the rest of us who have been minorly affected (if we can consider this affected). Those of us whose most considerable challenge is to now work from home. Boohoo, poor us! Getting to work from home probably gave half of nine-to-five America a little joy, though. Don’t lie.
Chances are your carefully-curated-work-routine has been derailed, and you’ve fallen into the COVID-19 rabbit hole:
Obsessively checking the news, researching the origins of the virus, watching funny YouTube and celebrity Instagram videos, passing along cryptic-distressing-chain-COVID-19-warning-text-messages with your friends and family (wondering if it’s true), and monitoring the number of cases worldwide.
You haven’t been on your best behavior, and some work duties fell through the cracks. And without your boss on you, why brush your teeth if you aren’t going to see anyone?
Amidst all your panic and fear, you’ve readjusted to your new working conditions, accepted the new norm of our times, did your prayers, and now it’s time to go back to work.
As the folks in show business say, the show must go on.
Here are my 6 simple productivity hacks for people working from home.
Work From Home Productivity Hack #1: Turn off Cell Phones
Your cell phone is the biggest distraction and is like a gateway drug: one thing leads to another. You probably have noticed how quickly one text message from a friend turns into a group text messaging party. Before you know it, you are off in obscure researching COVID-19 land.
Turn your cell phone on silent or off, or put it in a separate room. Turn off your notifications if you receive text message alerts on your laptop unless you need your phone for work. Otherwise, only allow cell phone use during break times, when you’re off, and during emergencies. Be ruthless about this.
Work From Home Productivity Hack #2: Limit News Consumption
Watching the news in large amounts affects my spirit. Generally, I skim through the news each day to stay current and move on about my day. This practice works for me. But during this whole COVID-19 frenzy, I’ve been glued-stuck on the news. And I notice a dip in my well-being.
I put a stop to it and only let myself check the news once a day. Right now, if you are in a distressing time, make sure to take care of your well-being and look for solutions in your life that are within your control. You’re only ingesting fear and panic by reading the news six hours a day.
Work From Home Productivity Hack #3: Have a Dedicated Workspace
Another fun thing to fantasize about when you work in an office or service-oriented environment is the freedom to work in bed. Who doesn’t love their bed even if they struggle with insomnia? But this could hinder your work performance, give you back pain, and cause sleep problems.
Most sleep experts agree that your bed should only be for sleep and sex—nothing else. When you invite other activities in your bed, such as eating or working in bed, you’re sending your brain signals that your bed is not only for rest.
Find a space in your home and make it your dedicated workspace. Communicate with your housemates and let them know about your dedicated area. If you are in the area, that means you are working. Clean up your area as you would in an office at the end of the day.
Work From Home Productivity Hack #4: Time Block Your Work Day
Another excellent productivity hack is time blocking. This time management strategy doesn’t just apply to work-from-home scenarios but also applies to any work setting. Cal Newport, the author of Deep Work (audible), sets aside time for deep-focused work (high priority) and separate time for shallow work (low priority).
My favorite method is coordinating a block of work time with a block of rest time. For example, I’ll block out three hours to write and two hours for my workout and lunch. Then I do another three hours and then work on a hobby for an hour. Then I’ll do another three hours of work to a block of dinner and then finally rest. My schedule changes, but this is a typical day right now. Experiment and find what works for you.
Work From Home Productivity Hack #5: Get Dressed as You Would Normally to Feel Energized
Before working from home, I used to fantasize frequently about not having to get dressed for work. I used to think what a luxury that would be. It’s fun for a week or two until you notice how unmotivated you feel to be in your pajamas or workout gear all day.
Underdressing leaves you in a cozy snuggling mindset as opposed to a take-action-I’m-at-work mindset. At least for me. The clothes I wear have a significant effect on my mood. Studies show that what you wear to work affects your performance. It mostly depends on your intention, though. If you wear pajamas to be lazy, most likely, you will feel sluggish.
Work From Home Productivity Hack #6: Work During Off-Peak Hours
This hack correlates with hack number four: time blocking. As I write this post, my mom is seriously singing her lungs out on karaoke in the living room. Hey, it’s her house. She’s retired, so she’s entitled to spend her time however she wants to.
But living with others can be uber-distracting when it comes to work, especially during national self-isolation when everyone is indoors. A great way to escape the distraction is by waking up much earlier than everyone else. This way, you get your high-priority tasks—deep work—in before anyone can bother you.
Closing Thoughts on Work From Home Productivity Hacks
Phew, if you made it through this post, I will take a wild guess and say that you are safe amidst this world catastrophe.
Recapping the six work from home productivity hacks, we covered:
- Don’t forget to put your cell phones away
- Get dressed for work, as usual
- Find a dedicated workspace
- Time block your day
- Minimize news consumption
- Work during off-peak hours
I hope these six productivity hacks help you adjust to working from home like a pro.
Best of luck to ya! Remember to wash your hands and don’t hoard too much toilet paper. I wish you well and pray for your safety and the safety of your loved ones during this world upheaval. See you on the other side.
