Hey there, procrastinators, are you all set to leave your old ways behind and be productive? Many of us are spending a lot of time indoors as work from home becomes our new reality because of COVID. While this may be something you’ve yearned for for years, it somehow feels challenging to be productive in quarantine, especially because there’s no one watching you. Working from your home office just doesn’t feel right.
It doesn’t matter whether you start work way after sunrise or at the witching hour, whether you’re a full-time employee or a freelancer. These tips are for anyone having hard time working from their home office. Let this article be your guide whenever the lines between comfort and work start to blur.
1. Define a work from home station
If you are like 98% of us who get distracted easily, you need a workstation like an island; serene but cut off from the world. Are you familiar with the distractions of the bed and the seduction of those crisp fresh sheets that call you to nap? This is by far the hardest part of working from home. Don’t fall victim to those temptations – separate your workstation from your nap station. Start by dedicating a corner or a room as your ‘workplace’. That way, when you enter it, you know, you are ‘going to work’. Bottom line – don’t try to sleep where you work and don’t try to work where you sleep.
2. Set a work from home schedule
Imagine reaching your 10 am shift at the office by waking up at 10 am. Impossible right? Unless you’re Barry Allen – then it’s possible! For a successful work from home scenario, you need to work exactly how you used to work at the real-life office. If you used to wake up at 8 to exercise and commute to work, try following the same pattern with your work from home regime. Switch your otherwise commute time with a shower, prepping coffee, enjoying a hearty breakfast, or studying your to-do list. For all of the harm it has caused, COVID has also brought with it the gift of time for a lot of us. Use it wisely.
3. Don’t work from home in your PJs
We are all guilty of this. Working in our PJs and throwing a shirt on top for those office conference calls has become the ‘new normal’ during quarantine. However, studies suggest that staying in your PJs all day long may adversely affect your mental health, focus and productivity. And no one wants that when you’re already in the middle of dealing with COVID.
We are a product of routine, and getting dressed every day plays a huge part in our daily routine. One of the biggest luxuries of work from home is the freedom to wear what you want. So ditch your regular sleepwear and get into those comfy clothes and only change into your PJs when you decide to call it a day.
4. Declutter
All the messy people in the house get your hands up…and clean. If your workstation adorns superhero miniatures, tangled up wires, and dishes from last night – it’s time for you to put those things away and declutter. COVID is already stressful enough, you don’t a messy home environment to make it worse.
An ideal desk should be close to a window and have all the stuff you need, like a bottle of water, quick snacks, and stationery. The goal is to avoid distractions, your trips to the fridge, and to maximize productivity. And who knows, maybe you’ll finally be able to revamp your home decor in quarantine!
5. Give yourself a break
Just because you’re at home all the time because of quarantine, doesn’t mean you don’t need a break. After all, most people haven’t been able to relax since they found out about COVID. But you need to schedule break times and use them to recharge (come what may). This will increase your productivity, especially when you start boring tasks that you have been procrastinating over for a while.
When beginning these tedious tasks, set a 15-minute timer and train yourself to focus. When you know that there is light at the end of this dull tunnel, you will glide through it like a pro. Make sure your breaks are not more than 10 minutes, or this activity will turn counterproductive.
6. Prepare your to-do list and your meals the night before
The pain of working from home and prepping your meals alongside this is something that we are all too familiar with. Save yourself the trouble and prep your meals and your to-do list the night before – it saves you plenty of time and energy and is something the entire Roomi team swears by. How else do you think you get an article every day?! Also, for all of you living on instant noodles and potato chips – get yourself a real meal, you guys! You can become amazing home chefs by the time quarantine ends if you start now!
Is the concept of a home office depressing you? Try some of these tips to enhance your home office and lighten your mood 🙂
D’you know what else Roomi does outside of helping its readers be productive while working from home? With our ever-increasing lists of rooms and roommates across the world, we help you find your perfect match! Download the app here and hop on the easiest ride home, ever!
