Tips on Being Productive While Working From Home
From the gym to the laptop to the living room playing with toys… all in a 30-minute span.
This is the work-from-home life, right? Especially if you have kids interrupting you all day.
I’ve been a work-at-home mom since Lariah was born… but I know a lot of people are new to this right now.
So I want to share 8 tips for staying productive and holding onto your sanity in this new world. Because there’s a difference between being “productive” and just being “busy”.
1. Time block your calendar.
Time blocking is when you are ALL IN, fully focused on ONE task for a given amount of time. No replying to email, answering your phone, checking insta alerts. This makes a big difference! Not only do you know what to do each hour when you have a time blocking plan, the time you are spending is SO much more productive. Instead of feeling scattered, rushing from task to task every day, you carve out certain times weekly to complete the most pressing task.
2. Schedule two 20-minute “tech free” breaks to walk, read, or grab a healthy snack.
You may have had scheduled breaks at the office like coffee breaks, but you have to set them for yourself at home. Walk away from the screen for a few minutes and you’ll come back totally refreshed.
3. Check your emails, texts and DMs at 10am and 3pm only or two scheduled times that work best for you.
This may not work for everyone, depending on your business. But the idea is to limit how “available” you are, so you don’t get burnt out. I used to think I had to answer every thing that came my way IMMEDIATELY, at the risk of seeming rude or losing a client. But as I have drawn boundaries, even with my highest paying clients, they actually respect me more and show up differently! This also saves me from spending an entire day in response mode verse actually getting big tasks done.
4. Set your top 3 goals every day.
Every morning, set a clear picture for what your 3 non negotiable must complete tasks are, the exact time you are doing them and how they will get done. Take the hardest task and complete it first thing in the morning while your brain is fresh and there are less distractions. This helps you stay focused, so you’re productive, not busy.
5. Leave your laptop in a “working area” and separate that from the rest of your house.
To be honest, this one has been hard for me. I want quick access to my computer when I have a moment to squeeze in a task. But this leaves me feeling unfocussed when I am with my family and doesn't allow for the necessary division between work and family. Staring at my computer on my kitchen table is also a reminder that there is more to do. As we all know there is always more to do - but having your laptop in a designated work area helps your home to feel like home when you’re done working for the day.
6. Get up one hour earlier and have a morning routine.
If you are working from home and are snoozing past 6am and do not have a morning routine - this may be the most important thing you are missing! When we get up early and have a morning routine:
It allows us to run our days not have them run us
Since we can't create time extra time in a day, we have to make time! Most people say time is the number one factor that keeps them away from their goals. We have time for the things we prioritize, plain and simple!
Getting up one hour earlier than we usually do gives us focused, quite time to work on whatever we need to
Even if you work full time and already feel tired, getting up early and giving yourself time is the best gift. It may actually help you go to bed earlier and get on a better sleeping pattern
At first it may be hard but it gets easier - stick with it!