How to be productive when you are working from home
You are working from home now, possibly long term, so how will you stay focused? I have experience working from home for many years now and it
definitely took me a long time to be as productive as I could be.
I am notorious for running around, starting projects, getting distracted and then having 50 things on the go. When I started working from home as a
travel agent, I needed to relax, focus and make sure I was on top of my clients files. Being a travel agent requires you to be detail oriented and be able to
focus on one task for hours at a time, sometimes days. Now that there are a lot of people who are working from home during COVID 19 and could possibly
work from home for the foreseeable future, I thought I would share some tips and tricks that have helped me get things done and stay focused!
#1. Have a designated area in your home for your work
Having a desk for me is a big deal, I find it tells my brain that when I am at my desk it is time to work. I used to take my laptop into bed, prop my pillows
up and use my body pillow as a make shift desk but I quickly realized that doing this was providing a gateway to long breaks with Netflix, and a sore body
from being propped up without having the right kind of support. When I know I need to get some work done I grab my laptop, my notebook and my
planner and set my desk up in a way that makes me productive.
#2. Find a creative space
I am all about finding your creative flow, sometimes I cannot even get in the mood to write or work if I don’t feel inspired by my surroundings. Find what
sparks your passion, even something small and it will help you to keep focused and keep working. A trick I use is surrounding myself with things that
remind me of my why. Why am I working? I want to travel the world and experience different cultures, so scattering lonely planet guide books, photos of
destinations and articles about travel around my work area helps keep me motivated.
#3. Get outside before you set up and take breaks
Pretty much every single morning I go outside with my fiancé and bask in the warm sunshine while I sip my morning java beans. Just getting out of the
house and breathing in some fresh air gets my mind ready for the day ahead. Sometimes I get so caught up in my work that when I finally take my eyes off
my laptop I realize it has been 6 hours and I am left feeling burnt out. Taking a few breaks throughout the day and grabbing a tea or a snack and getting
outside if you can makes a world of difference.
#4. Take a shower and get dressed
Before I start my day, whether I am working or not, I like jump in the shower and get myself dressed. In doing this, I feel like it sets me up to have a more
productive day and I am less likely to sit and binge watch Netflix for 10 hours.
#5. Figure out what time of the day you are at your best
If you have the option to choose your working schedule, finding out when you will be the most focused and be productive is huge. Over the years I have
learned that if I start my work day in the morning I will get way more work done. In the afternoon, I am still somewhat focused but come evening, I get
distracted easily and my brain no longer functions at its highest level.
#6. Decide what tasks are important and what can wait
When I start thinking about all of the things that I can do with my life and how I can become better and provide more options for myself in my work I get
side tracked easily. This also goes for someone who has a lot of tasks to do in a day, it can get overwhelming and you can start spinning tires instead of
getting things done. I found that lining up all of the things I need and want to get done and really thinking about what was urgent and important helps me
complete tasks one at a time.
#7. If you are working from home with your significant other, work in separate rooms
When I can see my fiance, all I want to do is hang out and talk with him, so him being in the same room with me when I need to focus doesn’t usually
work. I like having a separate area of the house to just be able to go if I am having a hard time focusing.
There are so many little tips and tricks to help you focus when you are working from home and everyone is different in what works for them. Take some
time to really figure out how you will be most successful and make sure to implement everything.
Sometimes envisioning you are sitting in a little cafe in Paris, sipping wine while writing for Vogue magazines travel section can inspire you to get the job
done!