It’s been a while since mandates for staying at home and working have been issued. Since then, many people have been forced to adapt to new ways of life. Settling with video conferences more for their meetings or talking to co-workers through an instant messenger.
While these are simple changes, they can disrupt our routine in such a big way. No longer are you driving or biking to work. All you have to do is take a few steps to your makeshift workstation. This can conflict with your entire workflow as some of us may need that drive in order to get ourselves ready for work.
Or perhaps you are so distracted by everything that’s going on that you feel there is no chance at all for you to succeed and grow during these tough times.
To that, I say that what you really need is some strategies to help you improve your productivity further. I’ve already mentioned a handful of strategies, however these one are more of a stretch than improving your overall workspace.
Develop Some Self-Care Habits
Pandemic or not, it’s important that you take care of yourself – both mentally and physically. When you do this, it’s easier for you to maintain positivity and commit to a regular routine.
This makes sense when you consider the state that many people are in right now. Because things are dire, some people aren’t overly positive nor are they trying to solve their problems either. If you want to be improving your productivity and bringing it to higher levels, you need to start paying attention to your physical and mental needs.
What this means is that if you’re working at home, don’t “go to work” in your PJs. Do what you normally would do to get to work. On top of that, practice self-care. Some habits of that to get into are:
- Eating regular and healthy meals.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Find some time to exercise. Whether it’s a walk, jog, or an exercise routine.
- Get outside for a bit of time while still practicing social distancing.
- Devote more of your time to relaxing.
A lot of these things also counter the social distancing and self-quarantine aspects that come with those. What’ll help further is reaching out to them on a regular basis. Call them up from time to time or text them.
Go To Work With A Plan
One big question to ask yourself every day is “what do you plan to accomplish today?” Set yourself a to-do list for work specifically and determine what you want to accomplish. Do you have an assignment that’s due soon? Why not tackle a little bit of it right now.
Start each day off with your intentions and plans for each day. Outline your priorities and your goals and work on them as best you can each day. Keep that list brief as well as an organized and short to-do list will keep you focused on the most important tasks you need to complete.
Have A Family Or House Meeting If Needed
Depending on who you are living with, you may need to have a discussion pertaining to work space and work time. All of this has to do with individual schedules, but laying out the groundwork is helpful.
Basically, every time you sit down for breakfast, share your plans for the day and manage everyone’s expectations. For example, if you have kids, incorporate their play time into your day. This ensures that you’ll have quiet time when you need while still spending time with your kids later that day.
Another scenario is other people’s working conditions. If your partner or roommate is working from home as well, depending on your living situations you may need to set dedicated time for working hours or perhaps rotate between a quiet office space.
You can also use this opportunity to delegate tasks if needed too.
Spend More Time Around Positive Things
These are some weird and crazy times right now and looking more at the world issues can be disheartening. There is always bad news rolling in every day from daily headlines that can cause us to be upset or anxious. All of this will impact your mental self which you don’t want happening.
While we shouldn’t disregard what’s happening in the world entirely, there comes a point where indulging in all of that isn’t going to benefit you. Take time to acknowledge your feelings and make a few changes in your life.
Beyond that, it also helps a lot if you spend some time doing activities that you enjoy. Whether it’s being around family, going for a walk or for a drive, do something that you enjoy.
Stop Trying To Multi-Task
Now that you’re working from home, it might feel like you’ve got more tasks on your hand that you’ve got to juggle. While that may be the case, it’s important that you maintain focus on one task at a time.
This is easier said than done as many of us think we’re a multi-tasking machine who can handle two, three, or sometimes four tasks at once. Unfortunately, you are probably not. And even trying to juggle all of those things at once will reduce your productivity.
Do yourself a favour and try to cut this out of your system and instead strive to work on one task at a time. Train yourself to place all of your focus on that task as much as you can.
You Can Be More Productive
Productivity has a huge mental aspect to it and ensuring you’re not mentally straining yourself and staying mentally sane is key. You’ll only be benefitting yourself if you improve your mental fortitude through these methods. So please, try these out. You won’t regret them.