How to be productive when working from home…

Working from home has become our new reality the past few weeks. We used to hear about friends who have been working from home and always wondered ‘how is that possible’. Personally, I always thought that working from home is one of the hardest things! And it can also be tricky since you work and you are by yourself all day long without having your colleagues around to talk to and share jokes or tell them the latest naughty trick your kids played on you!

What did I know… COVID-19 came in our lives and most of us are indeed working from home trying to multitask deadlines, projects, homework, kids, cooking, exercising and so much more! So, how can one be on time for the job and show up every day? I mean we are still getting paid from our companies and more than ever we need to be able to show work effort and work ethic.

So, how to we stay productive during these difficult times? Although the first few days of working from home seemed such a difficult task, which kept me up late and feeling that I would soon sink into a pit, I managed with 10 easy steps to create a productive frame for each day which I keep and follow!

Make sure you wake up the same time every day. It is so important to keep a schedule on the time you wake up because this is what your body and your brain are used to and this is the routine that we will be getting back soon! Waking up every day, same time and getting to work!
Work out for about 40 minutes. The way I do it, literally from the small free space of my bedroom or my living room, is 20 minutes of cardio exercises so as to get a bit active and sweaty. Then I spend the last 20 minutes doing yoga exercises, so as to stretch my body out and work my core, while I have the chance to meditate and plan my day ahead.
Showering in the morning is essential! It gives you that freshness you need to start your day. Have your clothes arranged from the night before. Choose some comfortable and warm clothes which you would be able to wear at the office on a casual Friday. (I mean you do not have to go for the suit!)
Another thing which is important for women is makeup! Yes, take the time to do your makeup so when you look in the mirror, you look at a fresh beautiful face! While I do my makeup I like listening to a short podcast! It gives me ideas about my work on many levels.
Set up your workspace, your workstation. It can be a corner in your house where you feel most calm, or the big table in your dining room area. Do not be afraid to move furniture around to have natural light close to you and the openness of your home. Remove all the clutter around your work area and anything that could distract you. Keep close all those things that can inspire you. Put some work jazz music to start your day or even light one of those nice candles that smell so good!
Connect with your colleagues at least once a day. Working from home does not mean that you cannot talk to anyone and email is the only solution! Most of us are currently on Microsoft Teams where we can do video calls. Use Facetime or any other means of video calling to see the faces of your beloved people and have a chat with them during the day while you are having a short break.
Talking about breaks, remember the 90/10 rule! Work for about 90 minutes on the task or project you are on and have a ten minute break by going out to your garden to walk and breathe some fresh air. Even if you do not have a garden or back yard, walking around the house or breathing some fresh air and taking in some sun outside on your balcony with a nice cup of coffee will definitely help.
Finish your day by taking the time to put away your files and laptop in a nice and neat way whereas you can write down a list of the things you managed to complete and the things you have for the next day.
During your evening, watch a movie, read a book, connect with your loved ones at home and eat light. You can relax by having a long bath and by lighting up some candles. You do deserve it after a hard day’s work.
Make sure you go to bed at a reasonable time to get the rest and the sleep you need. Take five minutes to meditate, think of how your day went and allow yourself to be proud of what you have accomplished. Be thankful for what you have! Sleep tight! Tomorrow is a new day!