Working From Home Productivity Tips

We’re a couple of months in now and so the charm of working from home is starting to wear off and some are finding it hard to stay productive in an environment we normally relax in. With restrictions easing, many people and businesses are expecting things to go back to the way things were before. However, this "new normal" will be very different to the "old normal". Working from home, for those organisations that can, will become part of business culture.

Staying productive in your own home is hard enough on the weekend when all you want to do is sit on the couch and watch a movie so why should working from home make it any easier?  

Here are some times to try and stay more productive throughout the day! 

Routine & Ritual 

Whether you are working from home or still in the office, having Routines and Rituals are important to anyone’s productivity. Routines allow us to complete small tasks with not a lot of brainpower allowing us to use more later in the day, especially important is the morning routine. Working from home or working remotely can make it a harder to establish a routine but that means it’s even more important. Go through a set of steps to get you from bed to your chair and be ready to start the day with as much brain fuel as possible. 

To-Do Lists 

Whether it be a series of post-it notes stuck to the wall, a list on a note pad or a web/phone app, find something that works for you to write down everything you need to do in a day/week/month. A brain dump can help you start to sort out what you need to work on next. 

However, having lots of projects can seem achievable when you write it all down but when you go to start one, it can be rather daunting and cause us to put it off. Break the project down into smaller tasks so that you can see your progress as you go. 

We use the personal KANBAN method to keep track of our to-dos and project tasks. In fact, the KANBAN method specifically states not to call them to-dos, but rather "options." The point is to reduce overwhelm, break your options into no longer than 50-minute chunks, limit your work in progress, and record you "ambient tasks", or things that come up last minute.

Eat Well, Drink Water and Take Breaks 

You’ll never be productive with low energy and an empty stomach. Make sure you have a good breakfast and lunch every day. Keep up your water intake throughout the day to stay energised, hydrated and clear-headed. A 3% - 4% drop in hydration can lead to a 25% - 50% drop in productivity.  

Unfortunately, those cups of tea or coffee you have throughout the day don’t count towards your water intake. 

Use Your Calendar 

If it doesn’t get scheduled, it doesn’t get done. For some who need a bit more structure or are feeling flustered with how much work they need to do during the day, try breaking your time up into blocks and schedule them into your calendar. 

Eat the Frog 

While an odd saying, Eat The Frog is about doing things you don’t want to do first because then you can go about your day doing the things you do want to do without that task hanging around. To spot the frog, you can use the Eisenhower Box Technique to divide up your to-do list or options for the day into 4 categories. The frog is Things you don’t want to do, but actually need to do. Often, these are the most important.

Write It Down, Even The Little Things 

Our brain will always wander while we are working and come up with random ideas on the go as we have conversations with colleagues, read articles online or simply remember something someone said three days ago. So that you don’t forget the good ones or get distracted by them swirling around your mind, keep a notepad and pen nearby to write everything down, even the little things so that you can get back to what you were doing but not forget the idea. Some people have the tendency to jump between tasks as they get new ideas and then at the end of the week they have too many things started and not enough finished. Multitasking is a myth!

Pomodoro Technique 

A tried and tested technique to boost productivity is the Pomodoro Technique. The Pomodoro Technique involves breaking your time up into chunks to feel like you’re getting something done. When completing a task, you set a 25min timer 4 times with 5-minute breaks in between and then have a slightly longer break at the end. The technique aims to instil urgency in getting the task done in the 25 minutes before moving onto the next. You can also use the technique to do a larger task that you are struggling to find the motivation to do. The breaks in between mean that time doesn’t drone on, especially towards the end of the day.  

What are you doing to stay productive throughout your work week? Got any tips to pass on yourself?