We all know the feeling. Another day and the alarm goes off, you feel tired, less motivated and energised. Even though this time is a little different, as you don’t need to run around trying to get ready in time to go to work, as your laptop is probably only a meter away. So, after brushing your teeth/showering, you put some joggers on and start with your working day. You see lots of emails flying by and are already waiting for 5pm. Tomorrow will be the same again. Sounds familiar? We’ve gathered some top tips to help you stay ahead and overcome that “groundhog” day feeling for all of you that are still working from home during this time, with just a few simple steps that will help your daily routine and overall workload productivity. You can thank us later!
Make sure you get a good night sleep There’s no grey area here, good sleep does increase productivity (and wellbeing!). It all starts from here. According to Philips Annual Global Sleep survey, 61% of adults around the world believe that their memory is worse when they have not slept well, while 75% admit they are less productive after a poor night’s sleep. So, no more Netflix until 1 or 2am! Listen to your body, make sure you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per day.
Spend some time in the morning doing what you enjoy Perhaps to combat the “groundhog day” feeling, have a think at the weekend about what you could do each morning before your work starts, that will help boost your mood and feel energised. If you write each thing on the list it’s more likely to happen! This can be anything from enjoying morning coffee whilst reading a few pages of your favourite book, going on a quick daily walk, exercise, tidying an area of your home or other.
Work at a designated area in your home This is to avoid any potential distractions, your family members walking in the room looking for something whilst you’re on a client call. This is also for your health, make sure the desk chair you have is properly adjusted to help your posture. By having a designated space, although you can always change it and even work from the garden if the weather is nice and you need some sunshine, this helps you differentiate work from home, and could help your work-life balance too. Make an effort for those Zoom calls! (and tidy your background) Again, this depends on your preference and the type of work you do. By making an effort and dressing up as if you are going into the office, could also make a difference to your productivity levels, and of course, will look more professional during virtual meetings. Before every meeting, have a glance as to how your background is looking and remove any potential clutter.
Get in the habit of writing actions lists/long term planning There are plenty of online tools you can use to create digital actions lists, however, you may wish to actually write these down on paper. If you start prioritising and ticking things off as you go along, not only will this be very satisfying, but you will also be more productive. In fact, you're about 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down regularly, not just on the day, but also planning actions a few days in advance.
Thanks for taking the time to read this article and hopefully you can boost your productivity with some of these tips.