Trying to adapt to a new pace and lifestyle habits can take a toll on your emotional health.
After working from home for weeks, I finally figured out what works for me and what doesn’t. That’s the key to being more productive as well as my first tip.
As someone who gets distracted easily & have the attention span of a 5-year-old kid, I learned to keep my desk as uncluttered as possible. For me, once it’s out of my sight, it’ll be out of my mind.
Once I went on a cleaning spree, I feel much better too. Additionally, if you are someone who can’t focus when your desk is too messy, decluttering your desk will help too.
My second tip would be recognizing under what condition you are the most productive. Personally, I can’t work or focus when my surroundings are too quiet. If you don’t want to listen to music or can’t find the right music to work to, listening to podcasts is another great way.
Nowadays, I tend to lean towards café background noises, it makes me feel less lonely (and I really do miss going to cafes). There are so many versions on YouTube, you’ll definitely find one that suits you!
If you are someone who can only focus when your surroundings are silent, find the quietest corner of your house! Or you can invest in earplugs!
My 3rd tip would be to take breaks! I try to force myself to be really productive in an hour and rest for 10 minutes. If you find your hands instinctively reaching for your phone every 10 minutes, try putting your phone on a phone stand!
This way, you can still see your notifications but you won’t keep reaching for it.
The next tip I have is to build your routine! I can’t live without coffee so my morning routine definitely is to start my morning with a cup of coffee and then I planned out my day! In a situation where some of us may feel like we don’t have control everything, this is a good place to start to regain some of the normalcy we craved.
The final (& most important) tip I have is to have a planner! I have used a digital and physical planner before and I must say, my heart still belongs to my physical planner.
Whether digitally or physically, a planner is a must-have for me! It helps you keep you on the right track and be clear of your task at hand. Having an A2 size weekly planner really helps to see everything at a glance!
That brings me to the end of my tip. I hope these can help those who are struggling with working from home!
Xoxo,
Claudia.