How to be Productive While Working from Home

Working from home can be tough to figure out if you’re not used to it. Because we’re (almost) all going through the same thing having to self-isolate at home due to COVID-19, I thought I would share some tips since I have the first-hand experience.

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Set a Schedule (and an Alarm)

One thing that helped me get in the groove of working from home is to set a schedule and while you’re at it, an alarm too. Setting an alarm early in the morning to wake up is key to my productivity level. Even if I don’t/can’t physically go anywhere, I don’t want to accidentally sleep in as I find it messes my whole day up. I find doing this helps set the tone for the day ahead.

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Setting a schedule will help keep you on track, and you can even try time blocking too. For instance, I’m finding myself much more distracted lately with news changing every minute due to COVID-19. I’m definitely on my phone much more (and thanks to Apple’s weekly screen time update), it’s a fact. That’s why I decided to set an alarm for a period of time where I’m not allowed any screen time. (I set my alarm for an hour) and found it really helped. For example, if you find yourself always checking your email, you could set a time-blocking schedule for a half-hour in the morning to only check emails, and/or sometime in the afternoon. 

Get Dressed for the Day

If you don’t feel like wearing your usual office attire of a suit or blazer (I don’t blame you), you can still get dressed and ready for the day ahead. In my opinion, I think it’s totally fine to wear jeans and a nice top (especially if you have Zoom teleconferencing calls with your boss) but you can also go the comfy route too. In particular, lately, you can find me wearing my Supporo compression socks when I’m working from home. These socks help with improving circulation and they help increase blood flow to the heart too. If you’re like me and sit most of your day, it’s hard to get proper circulation. Since wearing these socks, I find I have less pain in my legs throughout the day. 

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They’re also great for traveling (I know, it’s hard to imagine going anywhere anytime soon because of the corona virus) but when we are allowed to fly again, these are definitely coming with me. What I love about Supporo is the wide range of styles to choose from. They’re all trendy, casual and cute—a definite triple threat.

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Get Some Exercise

If you’re used to moving around during the day, whether at your office or at the gym, don’t sacrifice your health because of gym closures. What’s worked for me is just getting outside and getting some exercise even if it’s just 30 minutes. I love to take my puppy for a walk around the neighborhood (while social distancing, of course) and playing ball with her in the backyard. I find having these quick breaks of fresh air really helps with my productivity and energy levels. If you don’t have a dog, try some at-home workout videos. You can find tons of free options on YouTube and many gyms are releasing free videos and workout guides too.

Eat Healthy

Eating healthy is the key to staying productive in my opinion. If you stuff your face with candy all day, you’re going to find your energy depleting quickly because of the sugar. And if you’re a snacker (trust me, I am too), opt for some fruit or a cup of almonds. If you’re craving chocolate, studies show that dark chocolate can help your brain memory and function which we could all use, hey? Make healthy lunches too (there’s no vending machines at home, thank goodness) and make sure to stay hydrated.

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If you miss lattes at Starbucks, make one at home (my tip? I love putting coconut milk in my coffee because it gives a frothy latte-like texture). Because you’re probably going to the grocery store less these days, try and be creative with the ingredients you already have at home. Who knows, you may even pick up some new cooking skills.

Set Up Your Workspace

Having a dedicated work area can make all the difference. If you have everything in one place, it can definitely leave you feeling organized and motivated. Having a physical agenda works for me, but if you prefer to go digital, that works too. To-do lists are very helpful because it definitely keeps me on track. Sometimes if I’m feeling overwhelmed, I number my to-dos based on the order of priority. Because I’ve been spending a lot of time at home lately (as I’m sure you have too), I’ve been making sure to get 1 cleaning task done throughout the day/week (depending on how big of a job it is). 

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Make sure to schedule a time for cleaning or you’ll find yourself dusting when you should really be working. I like to leave the cleaning for the end of my workday but do whatever works for you.

Thank you to Supporo for partnering with me on this post. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.

Are you working from home? What are your tips? Let me know in the comments below!