I’m sure most of you have already seen posts like these go around the internet, so I’m here to add my piece to the puzzle. Maybe you’re on break, maybe you’re not, but at the moment, so many of us have to adapt to new situations and new ways to live life.
One of these situations is working from home. It might be difficult to stay focused and keep being productive when there’s no more commute and no more different location to move to. But you can change that. It is possible to be productive at home, even when you don’t quite know what’s going on or even if you live with a rowdy family. Let’s jump in.
1. Change outfits
This is a psychological thing I use to get into work mode. Even your shirt is enough, if you’re feeling especially focused. It helps you to jump into that professional version of yourself that you need to get work done or get school done (and if you have conference calls, you’ll look great, too). If you do makeup, you can totally do that. Anything that’ll help you feel ready to get work done and check off boxes.
2. Try not to work in bed
One tip that helps me transition to school is physically moving from my bed to my desk. This helps me to get into work mode and helps me focus on what I need to do rather than other things that might be nagging at me, like checking my email or answering comments (yes, if you’re a student like me, you’ve gotta separate school work from work work).
If you don’t have a desk or don’t have a large enough space to work, even using your bed as your desk is better than being on your bed. I actually use my bed as a desk for math class simply because I need space for textbooks, notebooks, my laptop… it’s a lot of objects. It’s not great for my posture, though, but at least I have the option of using a desk. If you have a relatively quiet home, a dining table works perfectly well, too — as long as you have an established space for work, you’ll be fine.
3. Plan your day & communicate
In order to keep track of all the things I need to get done in a day, I like to plan. One app I totally recommend is Google Calendar; it’s great for color coding and blocking out your day (or schedule, if you have class). On a laptop, you can also open tasks to log in deadlines or homework. It’s honestly just a good way for me to stay on task and aware of my time.
If you’ve read my post about preparing for the IGCSE, you’ve probably noticed that I calendar blocked my week. Now that things are a little less predictable, I’m taking things slower and planning one day at a time. Here’s a sample from last week:
If you’re not that much of a planner, that’s okay. To-do lists or loose plans will suffice — these simply give you a path that you can follow so you can make the most of your time.
If you don’t live alone, communicate your plan to the people you live with once you have established a time and space to work. This way, they know not to disturb you while you’re working, but also ensures that you don’t interfere with tasks they might have to get done. It’s all teamwork and collaboration, really. Make sure you understand each other so there aren’t any disastrous miscommunications.
4. Mindset
Stay focused
Keep reminding yourself: if you work, you’re paid for this. If you’re a student, you’re paying for this. Either way, you want to get the most out of what you’re doing, whether that be an essay or an email writing session 😉
Mental health matters
However, you also need to remember that it’s not just your physical health that matters. If you need to take a step back and focus on your mental or even emotional health, that’s cool, too. If planning stresses you, take a break. If you can, take the time to breathe and do something that makes you feel calm. Taking care of yourself is worth a lot.
5. Simplify your life (a.k.a Marie Kondo the heck out of your laptop)
I can’t stress this enough. I spend a lot of time facing a screen because of the type of work that I do (my writer squad knows what I mean), and decluttering your digital space is immensely helpful for getting into the zone. Simplifying what’s on your computer eliminates distractions and helps you to focus better. Close tabs you don’t need and clear small tasks as soon as you can. Stop putting off answering your emails. If you have large projects to do, break them down into mini tasks that you can check off every so often (this helps you to feel productive since you’re flying through little things rather than large projects that take time). And if you have a messy desktop, clear that, too. I promise it will help you in the long run.
Bonus (for my writer friends): start writing
It’s Camp NaNo, but it’s not too late to start writing if you have a story on your heart. If you’re looking for a way to express yourself or have been searching for the time to finally pen that book, now is a great time.
The Emmons sisters are actually doing a challenge for this! If you’re searching for accountability or a way to check in as you weave the paths of your story or outline, there’s a Facebook group waiting for you: #StartYourStoryChallenge
That’s all for now!
Let me know how you stay focused and productive when working at home! Do you enjoy planning? What are you doing to make sure you’re healthy mentally and emotionally?
Make your mark,
OTHER POSTS YOU MIGHT LIKE:
Creative Things to Do Other than Writing
Don’t Know What To Do For Camp NaNoWriMo? Here Are 5 Ideas
