Working from Home due to COVID-19? Here's how to Slam-Dunk all the tasks.

WHO finally declared COVID-19 a Pandemic. This means many countries around the world are also declaring a national emergency. News and updates related to COVID-19 aren't unknown to anyone these days but if you have been asked to work remotely by your employer, I am going to share some tips that will help you to be more productive and you can even incorporate them into your daily work routine. For many of us, working from the comfort of your couch, home office, or bedroom, offers flexibility ad work-life balance that many professionals desire. After all, who wouldn’t want to work whenever they wanted in their PJs with a laptop? Spend more time with their children? Or, have more home time in general?

Working from home is now a necessity for many of us to due COVID-19, but it can be a real drag if you struggle with staying productive. Don't worry, I got you covered! Within this article, I am sure that there is at least a tip or two that will guide you to be more productive.

1) Build a Permanent Work Space

The first step in your “work from home” journey is to designate an area of your home specifically for work. 

This could be an empty or spare bedroom that you convert to a home office. If you are pressed for space, you can set up a desk for your computer and office supplies. Regardless of space or location, establish an area of your home where you will work and commit to working in this space every day. Be sure your workspace is comfortable (especially in any season) and enjoyable, and where you can work quietly when needed.

2) Invest in Comfortable — and Functional — Office Furniture

You may also need to invest in office furniture if you haven’t already. Depending on the amount of space available, consider purchasing a large desk, bookshelves, and a comfortable office chair. Remember, the point is that you will be working in this space every day (or until you get a call to report back at the office).

So, be sure to purchase comfortable and functional furniture, including ergonomic furniture or equipment, if needed.

3) Set “Work Hours”

Now that you have your office or work area set up, it’s time to get down to business â€” literally. If you are going to make working from home an everyday affair, then set specific business or work hours. The beauty of working from home is that you can be flexible in setting your own working hours. For example, if you are most productive in the morning, or if you need to get the kids off the bus at 3:00 pm, then you may want to set your work hours from 7 am until 3 pm. Now, all of these depend on whom you work for, what you do and so on. But remember, work from home doesn't mean working 24 hours a day!

Regardless of your schedule, be sure to establish set work hours to follow each day. Be sure to also communicate your work schedule to colleagues, staff, and your boss, if you have one.

4) Avoid “Work Creep”

Some people believe that work from a home can be invasive in your personal life. This is because if you are constantly home and near your work, then your work will begin to creep into your home life. Yes, the risk is real, but only if you let it…

This goes back to setting work hours. By setting specific work hours and sticking to them each day, then you can manage a healthy work schedule. When your workday is over, whether that is at 3, 4, 5 or 6 pm, shut your laptop and shut your office door and leave it behind until the next day!

5) Discover Your Peak Productivity Periods

Every individual and professional is most productive at different times of the day. For example, some individuals are “morning people” and they are most productive, alert, and focused during the morning hours. Others are more productive in the afternoon and evenings.

The point here is to discover when you are most productive and build your work schedule around your peak productivity periods.

6) Make To-Do Lists

When you work from home each day and you don’t have a boss breathing down your neck, it can be challenging — and sometimes overwhelming — to keep track of what you have to do each day. It’s easy to lose sight of priorities, tasks, deadlines and even the little things.

In order to stay on task, quickly write down all the things that need to get done at the start of each day. If your list is quite lengthy, then set goals and time limits for accomplishing each task. After you complete each task, cross it off the list. This simple technique is both effective and fulfilling.

7) Use Task Management Apps

If you aren’t a “write-it-down” to-do list or planner person, don’t worry—there are plenty of digital calendar and task management apps available that can still help you.

Some top task management and calendar apps include are Asana, To-Do, Things and many more. Most of these apps offer both web-based and mobile versions, so you can download them to your smartphone. Some can even be integrated with other apps, such as Slack for team collaboration. And the best part? Most of these apps offer a free version.

8) Exercise

If your day allows, take a lunch break and go for a walk, go to the gym or stretch. Exercise boost endorphins, which increase happiness, enjoyment, and interest levels, all of which are important for productivity. If you are an early-morning jogger or gym-goer, then work that into your routine each day. And, if you want to make exercise a habit, or become an early-morning exerciser, but struggle with getting out of bed, set an alarm across the room so you are forced to get up out of bed to shut it off. You can also leave yourself motivational sticky notes by your bed, so they are the first thing you see and read in the morning.

9) Eat a Healthy Lunch or Snack

Another work from home reality is that we have full access to the kitchen. So, when it’s time for lunch or a snack break, we are immediately drawn to the usual snacks, such as chips, chips, cookies or leftover pizza. When we work in an office, we are at the mercy of whatever is available in the cafeteria or whatever lunch we brought from home.

However, research has shown that eating fruits and vegetables has a direct link on overall productivity levels. If you are an avid snacker, then make it a point to make yourself a healthy lunch, just as you would if you had to go into an office. You can also avoid buying unhealthy snacks altogether. You can also reward yourself with a sweet snack on Friday after a long, successful, and productive week.

10) Take Short Breaks

Although we have focused most of this article on how to stay productive while working from home, sometimes the opposite can happen. We think that by working from home we will be able to get more done because there are fewer distractions. Therefore, sometimes we end up over-committing and working too much, which also kills productivity.

You can easily avoid this by working short, five-minute breaks into your daily schedule, or even make them a part of your “rewards system”. Although taking breaks might seem counterproductive, research has shown that taking short breaks can increase productivity and creativity levels.

11) Listen to Music

Okay, so you shut off social media and the TV, and you are sitting at your desk and focused on your work. But, now it’s too quiet.

Listening to music while you work can help boost productivity levels and even enhance creativity. Even if you aren’t a huge music fan, studies have shown that listening to soft, jazz or even classical music can help improve focus.

Consider browsing different “moods” of music on Spotify to keep the flow moving throughout your workday.

12) Use Your “Lunch Break” for Errands and Appointments

If you work from home each day, then you have a ton of free time to do what you want and go where you want, right?

Maybe, but I don’t recommend that. Structuring your day is important. If you need to run errands, or schedule the occasional doctor or dentist appointment, try to schedule them for your “lunch break”, just as you would if you worked in an office.

13) Avoid Family, Friends, and Pets

This can be difficult, especially if you have young children at home, or have multiple pets, all of whom want your attention. If you are home all day, every day, then family and friends might think that they can show up whenever they please.

Of course, you probably welcome and enjoy the company, it’s important to remember that this is your work time. Be sure to set and stick to specific work hours and communicate those hours with your family and friends.

If you have been working from home for several years, and have mastered most if not all the tips above, then you working from home might be becoming boring, dull or stale. You might struggle with sticking to your schedule, or enjoying your work.

If this sounds all too familiar, then it might be time to take a step back, re-evaluate your business or work, and then approach it from a different angle.

Start putting these working from home tips into effect today to streamline your routine and increase your productivity.