Remember when you were working full-time in an office and wished that you could just work from home everyday? Unfortunately, that dream is now a reality for a lot of us. Hopefully it’s all you wished for, but we’re guessing that some of you are starting to experience cabin fever or even lose productivity.
Here are some of our favorite tips on how to be the most productive at home that we’ve learned, sometimes the hard way, by working remotely for years.
Dress for success
Just like you got dressed for the office it is important to stick to your morning routine. Get up, workout, shower, eat breakfast – whatever you normally do – just make sure you continue the same morning routine. Save your PJs for the weekend so you can focus on getting your work done during the week. Trust us, you can get sick of PJs real quick if you wear them everyday.
Take breaks
To keep your mind sharp and fresh it is important to take a break at least every 2 hours. Do something that is unrelated to your job and helps rest your mind. Some of our favorites are cleaning dishes, vacuuming the living room rug, or just walking around inside. Pro tip: avoid social media and other activities that suck you in because your break might turn into an afternoon of wasted time.
Drink water
Or whatever you normally drink to hydrate. Believe it or not, being well hydrated can help energize you, and when you’re energized you’ll be more productive. If you’re not a huge water drinker try starting with sparkling water or tea. If you find it hard, set a timer on your phone to take a break from work and drink water.
Listen to music
Music can be a motivator and sometimes turning on your favorite tunes or the latest Spotify Discover Weekly playlist can be a great motivation booster. If music helps us workout better and harder, why can’t it help us crank out emails too?
Disconnect
Just like you’re supposed to disconnect when you leave the office it is even more important when you’re working from home. Once you’ve established your morning routine then establish core working hours, feel free to use the same hours you normally would at the office. Make a concerted effort to disconnect when the workday is over so you can create some separation between your home office and your home living room, especially if it’s the same thing!
