The Only Work From Home Productivity Tips You Need

Photo by Allie on Unsplash

It’s impossible to tell when we will return to normalcy. Many companies are announcing that remote work will continue well into 2021. So how do you manage to stay productive at home? These five tips are all you need to stay productive:

1. Wake up earlier. But don’t do it for your employer. Do it for you. Life begins to feel like a simulation when you wake up, roll out of bed, and immediately start working. It’s great that you don’t have to commute anymore, but instead of sleeping in later, use that “commute” time for yourself. Exercise, write, read, watch a show, take a walk, make an exciting breakfast. Just make sure that you start your day by doing something for you. Put yourself first.
2. Plan your day. Ever heard of time blocking? Well, that’s Elon Musk’s #1 productivity hack. He plans his days ahead of time. Fill your calendar (whether it’s on paper or on your phone) and block time slots with the tasks you want to accomplish for the day. Allocate a certain amount of time to a specific task. When that time slot is over, move on to the next task. Make sure to allocate time slots for “free time” to allow for adjustments, unexpected detours, and of course breaks for yourself. Try to commit to the time slots you’ve written down and honor them as you would honor a meeting with your direct supervisor.
3. Analyze your procrastination. Have you ever procrastinated on something for so long and when you finally get yourself to do it, you realize it wasn’t bad at all? You can avoid procrastination by analyzing why you keep putting it off. Are you anxious because you feel a lot of pressure? Are you afraid of producing unsatisfactory work? Are you unclear about which direction you should take? Ask yourself why. Once you find the answer, analyze it, take appropriate action, and just get started. Train your mind to overcome your procrastination.
4. Take breaks. Remember when you used to work in the office? Think about how you’d go out for lunch or take a walk mid-day. Keep doing that. You shouldn’t feel bad about taking a lunch break or a mid-day walk. Breaks are critical for your mind to work best.
5. Understand that there will always be work to do. No matter how many hours you work, there will always be another big project. There will be productive days and not-so-productive days. Meet your deadlines, but don’t burn yourself out. Burn-out is on the rise. Take a day off if you need to. Don’t let those vacation days go to waste. If you want to perform your best, you need to understand that your mind needs a break. A few days off can do wonders for your performance.

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.” — Paul J. Meyer