Due to COVID-19, many people find themselves working from home these days. Although we live in a time with many technological advantages, it’s not always easy to transition to working at home. At home, there are many distractions, and this can make it hard to remain productive during this time.
If you are struggling with your productivity at home and not completing your tasks, Minetum is here to offer you some tips to increase your productivity.
1. Maintain your routine
It’s tempting to sleep in now that you have the option to do so, but this is a terrible idea. A late start puts you behind schedule and might cause you to be lazy throughout the day. Give yourself the extra time in bed that your commute would normally take, but don’t stay any longer than that. Keeping your normal sleep schedule will help you feel better and work more productively.
2. Get dressed for work
When working from home you might find it appealing to stay in your pajamas, but this is also a bad idea. There is a large psychological benefit to getting up and getting dressed every day. You might dress a little more casually than you would if you were going to the office, but make sure that you’re putting on real clothes.
3. Set up a workspace
Answering emails in bed is not beneficial for your productivity. In order to increase productivity, you should set up a comfortable workspace. When you move around from room to room, your focus will diminish and you will complete fewer tasks. Make sure that you’re working in a designated workspace, and that it’s a place that makes you feel happy. Rearrange your desk or workspace, bring in a candle or a potted plant – whatever makes the place more comfortable for you to work at.
4. Remember to take breaks
Taking breaks increases our productivity. It’s even better if you can schedule breaks into your daily routine. Make sure that you’re giving yourself that time to think about something else, move around a little and maybe get something to drink or eat. You can create a routine that works for you with focused work spurts of a certain time followed by a five-minute break.
5. Follow the Pareto Principle
Working from home for an extended time might cause you to work less hours. In this situation, you can apply the Pareto Principle, which says that 80% of your success comes from 20% of your effort. You plan your day ahead focusing on those 20% tasks that drive 80% of your success.
6. Keep up with communication
Maintaining clear communication with your boss and coworkers will help you stay on track with your work tasks. Many offices will start every morning with a 10-minute video meeting to make sure that everyone has clear expectations and is ready to get working on their tasks. Furthermore, this helps combat the feeling of isolation, which is not good for productivity, so stay in touch with your coworkers and check in with them often.
7. Reduce stress
This is inevitably a stressful time, but reducing the stress in your life during work hours will lead to more productivity. During your work hours avoid watching the news or visiting news sources online. If you are still finding it difficult to avoid stress, try utilizing tools to manage this. The key here is figuring out what works for you, whether it’s practicing mindfulness every morning, breathing exercises or simply listening to music while you work.
Minetum believes that these tips will lead to increased productivity. Try to appreciate the opportunity of working from home and experiencing this kind of lifestyle. During this time, we are challenged to become more structured and adaptable, and these are skills that will benefit us far beyond COVID-19.
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