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Right now, a lot of us have transitioned to working from home and as convenient and beneficial as working from home can be, it can also come with a lot of distractions from husbands, kids and eve pets and prove to be somewhat draining to our productivity and our health.

The trouble is, up until now, most of us have associated our home as a space for relaxing. So, it can be difficult switching to a more productive mindset when we are in the comfort of our homes.

The good news is, there are ways to boost productivity and stay healthy when working remotely. I thought I’d share some of the best ways I’ve found to stay productive when working at home.

De-clutter Your Workspace

It’s
hard to stay productive if your workspace is cluttered. So, before you start,
take time to clean up the area you’re planning on working in.

Get
rid of any clutter and organize the space. The cleaner and tidier the space is,
the easier you’ll find it to focus on your work. A calm mind is a good mind.

Take breaks to get out in the yard

Suddenly having to be cooped up in the house all day can be detrimental to your productivity and your health. It can cause issues with low mood and leave you feeling less motivated to get through your workload.

By taking regular breaks and making time to get out into the yard, it can really boost those productivity levels. Spend just 10-15 minutes gardening or reading a book outdoors to help refresh productivity and sanity levels.

Always prepare for the day ahead

When you go out to work, you know there’s things you need to do to get ready for the day. You have a routine which prepares you for work. However, when you start working from home you don’t really have that.

Rather than thinking you can now work in your pajamas all dayJJ, make the effort to get dressed. Create a morning routine which sets you up for work. That way, you’ll find it much easier to stay productive if your mindset is geared towards work.

Utilize the power of nature

Did you know that plants and flowers can help you to feel more motivated? Adding them into your workspace can help to brighten up your working environment. Numerous studies have shown how effective greenery can be within an office environment. So, if you want an easy way to stay productive and bring you more joy, add a few houseplants and flowers to your home office.

You can also utilize the power of scent too. In some countries, workplaces diffuse citrus scents to boost employee productivity. Try experimenting with different scents to see which ones make you work more efficiently.

Staying productive and healthy when working at home isn’t always easy but it is doable. The above are some of the best methods you can try to increase those productivity levels.

Taking regular breaks away from your computer are important, not just for productivity but for your health too.

Another thing you’re going to have to master when you work from home, is minimizing distractions.

There are a lot of distractions you need to contend with such as household chores, the TV, social media and kids. So, how exactly should you deal with these distractions to ensure you can work more efficiently, stay productive and safeguard your sanity?

Use the distractions as a reward

Distractions don’t have to be a bad thing. They can be used to reward yourself after completing work tasks.

For example, if you love nothing more than to curl up in front of the TV watching your favorite shows, allow yourself the opportunity to watch something after completing a project.

Similarly, you could use social media in the same way. Once you’ve completed a task off your to-do list, reward yourself with a short period of time on your social media channels.

Using distractions as a reward can help to keep you focused and boost your motivation to get your work done.

Consider working in various parts of the home

It’s common to set aside just one place to work from. However, did you know you may find it more productive to work in various areas of the home?

It’s all about adding variety into your new working environment. Some days, the spare room may be the best place to get work done. Other times, you may find it more beneficial to work on the dining room table or in the back yard. Don’t limit yourself to where you can work, mix it up and watch your productivity levels increase and your stress level decrease.

Add a little background music

This tip might not be useful to everyone, but many professionals claim working with background music on can limit their distractions. You’ll want to focus on calming music, rather that something that makes you want to sing along.

Alternatively, listening to podcasts and audiobooks in the background can also work well. So, if you struggle with productivity, try adding a little background noise and see if that helps. If you need a podcast to check out why not try listening to one of ours at podcast.

Reside to check emails sparingly

Checking emails is important when you work from home. However, it can also take up a lot of time. So, you’ll want to limit how many times you check them during the day.

Ideally, you’ll want to check them first thing in a morning, then after you’ve completed each task you’re working on.

Turn off notifications

Finally, a great tip is to turn off those notifications. Social media, news and app notifications can all prove really distracting when you’re working from home. So, turn them off until after work to boost productivity.

Working Through Stress and Uncertainty

You might be doing all the above but struggling to focus on work with everything going on in the world right now? If so, you’re certainly not alone.

Working through uncertain and stressful times isn’t easy. In fact, it can feel almost impossible when your mind is so taken up by fear and anxiety.

If you’re struggling right now and are uncertain if what you are feeling is stress related, you can explore some of the signs here. Plus, here are some other tips you can do that may help.

Practice gratitude

Did you know that practicing gratitude can make a big difference in how you feel? Studies have shown that writing a list of the things you are grateful for, can drastically improve your mood.

By focusing on the things you’re grateful for, it trains the brain to think more positively. You’ll switch your focus from the bad things going on right now, to the good. For example, working from home may be challenging, but at least you’re safe and have a home to work from.

Try to establish a routine

Now that you’ve found yourself working at home, it can feel really strange. You don’t know how to navigate your working day when you’re not in the office. So, by creating a routine, it’s going to help to ease some of that uncertainty.

Have a set time that you wake up and start work. Make sure you schedule in breaks throughout the day and have a set finish time too. Just implementing a routine can erase so much of the uncertainty you feel right now.

Utilize support that’s available

One of the good things about this uncertain time, is that it is impacting everyone. This means there is a lot of support available out there.

It could be you need to spend more time connecting with friends and family. Or, you may find it useful to share your concerns with others in online support forums.

You can also find more practical support too. If you’re struggling with your finances, or worried about how the current situation will play out, don’t hesitate to seek emotional support from a trained therapist for example.

Also, allow yourself to feel what you feel. Emotions can get a bad rap but are a normal response to life experiences.

Focus on self-care

Finally, try and focus on self-care during these uncertain and stressful times. This will really help to reduce the stress you feel.

Exercising regularly is a great way to deal with stress. You should also focus on doing things that relax you each day, such as meditation, reading or listening to music. The more you practice self-care, the less stressed you’ll be throughout this time.

Overall, it’s hard not to stress and fear what might happen during a pandemic. However, the tips above can really help you to manage those feelings. Remember to be kind to yourself and don’t expect too much from yourself, particularly when you first transition to working from home or when it is time to transition back to your office.

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