I’ve always wanted to work from home.
To be able to get out of bed, brush my teeth and head over to my desk, still in my PJs? YES PLEASE.
It wasn’t until my office shut down due to the Coronavirus and made everyone work from home that I realized it’s not exactly what I’ve dreamt of.
The first week of working from home was extremely difficult for me. I found it to be harder getting up in the morning, I was less productive during the day, and after “clocking out” I didn’t want to do anything but sit on the couch and scroll through Tik Tok.
After a week of struggle, I finally found a routine that helps me make the most of my day while working from home.
Here are 10 work from home habits to help you stay productive.
SET AN ALARM
The first mistake I made when I started to work from home is sleeping until 5 minutes before I needed to log onto my work computer. At 7:55am I would rush out of bed, quickly brush my teeth and log online.
I started setting my alarm for 7am, giving myself an hour before I needed to be on the computer working.
Continuing the habit of waking up early when working from home helps maintain a productive work schedule and allows you to make the most of your day ahead.
DON’T SCROLL THROUGH YOUR PHONE
When waking up in the morning, I avoid using my phone. Not even to check email.
The minute I use my phone while in bed, I find myself still scrolling through social media 25 mins later. This completely defeats the purpose of waking up early and quite frankly, you are priming your brain for distraction for the rest of the day.
MAKE THE BED
I don’t know what it is about having the bed made, but it really does make me feel like I have my shit together.
Believe it or not, making the bed helps kickstart a chain of other good decisions; giving you a small sense of “pride” and encourages you to do another task, and then another task. Besides increasing productivity, making the bed in the morning also reduces stress and overall, it makes your place look cleaner.
Dress For The Day
Another thing I started doing while I work from home was getting out of my pajamas and taking a shower.
Although it’s very tempting to stay in your comfy pjs and lounge at home, you are more likely to feel unmotivated to work, clean or get anything done. When you get into a routine of getting dressed for work, psychologically you become conditioned to associate the changing of clothes with a change of mindset.
And of course, getting and keeping a routing in the morning is important for maintaining your mental health.
Plan Your Day / Make A To-Do List
I’ve always been a planner.
As I shared in a recent post, Sunday Routine For A Productive Week, I got this planner on amazon and use it every day. It’s affordable and simple yet has enough space to plan out each day with extra pages for notes and contacts.
I plan out my day every morning, from the things I have to do for work to the house chores I want to get done in between.
Not having your day planned out leaves room for distraction- as you’re looking for the next thing you need to do you might pick up your phone and start scrolling on the gram. There goes another 20 mins of being unproductive.
To make the most out of your workday, it’s crucial to plan and have a to do list. Besides, there’s no better feeling than knowing you checked off everything on your to-do list.
Create A Workspace
You don’t need to have an extra room for an office in order to work from home. Although it does make things easier, you can always set up a corner desk in your room, or if you live alone- in your living room or kitchen.
Having an area specifically for working keeps you organized, limits distractions and helps make it feel more “official”.
I’m fortunate enough to have an extra room in my apartment that I turned into an office. Decorating the room to look more like an office at home really makes me feel like I am out of the house and working somewhere else. Separating a workspace from your living space really does help make you more productive.
Avoid Distractions
Along with having a separate work space, it’s important to stay away from any distractions while working from home.
I never turn the TV on and I usually leave my phone in the other room but on loud, that way I can still hear if I get a phone call. I don’t normally get texts or calls throughout the day, but I can easily waste 30 mins scrolling through social media.
Working in an area with no distractions is crucial if you’re trying to get work done. Distractions can seriously disrupt your productive routine.
Get A Change Of Scenery & Take Breaks
You may find it a little difficult to stay focused and get work done when you are home and sitting in the same spot all day. Getting a change of scenery can keep you motivated and help you stay productive while you work from home.
Although I have a nice separate room as my office at home, I like to grab my computer and work from my balcony as well. The breath of fresh air wakes me up and motivates me to get my next task done. There isn’t much movement around my complex during the day, so there aren’t any distractions when I am working outside.
Now everyone’s situation is different, so if you are limited in space and do not have an outside work area, still try to get some breaks throughout the day.
Realistically, if you work away from home, there’s a slim chance you’re sitting down for 8 hours straight without getting up every few hours. So, get up and get the mail, make yourself a cup of coffee, or walk the dog around the block. A few 10-minute breaks throughout your workday is a great way to maintain your mental health, help you stay productive and it may even give you inspiration. Just make sure your little break isn’t an hour long and in front of the TV.
Stay Hydrated & Eat Healthy
It obvious how important it is to stay hydrated and eat healthy. The food we eat is highly essential to boost brain power and to influence how productive we are while we work from home.
Snacking on healthy food is great to keep your energy up throughout the day. Snacks I always have nearby are bananas, nuts, yogurt & granola, and apples & peanut butter. Try to avoid junk food and things high in sugar- it tends to make you crash after a few hours.
Another thing that makes people crash midday but is still being consumed is coffee. For some of us it may be impossible to completely cut out coffee, but it’s important to lower your caffeine intake for many health reasons. A good diet and exercise will automatically give you more energy, but if you still need that cup of Joe in the AM, make sure you drink lots of water for the rest of your day.
Maintain A Clean Home
Just like making your bed in the morning makes you more productive throughout your day, maintaining a clean home will do so too. It can be impossible to do a deep clean every day, especially if you have kids- but keeping majority of you home clean can help so much.
A habit I started is cleaning our kitchen before bed every night. Our kitchen is right outside our bedroom, so it’s the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning. Waking up to a clean kitchen really motivates me to be productive for the rest of the day.
A tidy space is a tidy mind.
These are just 10 habits I’ve incorporated into my daily routine to help me stay productive while working from home. Share this post with a friend who may be struggling to stay productive while working from home or try to incorporate some of these habit into your daily routine.
MOTIVATION is what gets you started, HABIT is what keeps you going – Jim Rohn.
