How to Be More Productive When Working from Home by Nikita Singh

In our new normal, we’re living through a global pandemic, entire countries are in lockdown, the stock market crashed weeks ago, the most robust healthcare systems in the world have collapsed, leaving our most vulnerable to perish alone…and it’s only getting worse each day, with no end in sight. So, if you feel heavy with dread and can’t find the motivation to leave the bed or look away from your phone screen, no one can blame you.

 

Also in our new normal, companies have transitioned to working from home, seemingly seamlessly. Those who haven’t lost their jobs are expected to prioritise productivity over
well-being and perform every single activity online they were responsible for in their life before COVID-19. I don’t want to add to that pressure, so if you don’t have it in you to keep a positive mental attitude and push through, don’t beat yourself up. Come back later when you’re ready.

 

However, if you thrive on productivity and are glad for the distraction, as someone who has worked remotely for several years and has the most isolating profession, I have some tips you can follow:

 

1) First thing in the morning, minimize screen-time. Go ahead: read the headlines, inform yourself of new developments, but stop there. Prioritize your mental health at the start of the day.

 

2) Spend a few minutes on your appearance. It could be as small as applying lip balm or swapping your night PJs for day PJs. Take a shower if you’re feeling fancy. Or squeeze in a workout if you want to prove that you’re better than the rest of us. As long as your pants have elastic waistbands, you’re on the right track!

 

3) Having a dedicated work corner is ideal, so make your bed, and physically move to your new workspace. While it’s hard to find the ideal ergonomic setup, make sure you’re sitting in a posture that won’t kill your back.

 

4) If you live with family, have pets or the tendency to get in your own way, the most important step is to limit distractions. Face away from the apartment, any mess you might feel an urge to clean up, or other people. If there’s a task you can perform offline, turn off your internet while you work on it.

5) Making a to-do list is the most helpful step for me.

- Schedule the largest, hardest tasks in the morning, when you’re most alert.

- Smaller, easier tasks can be done after lunch, with music on.

- Keep crossing off items from your list as you do them.

- When you get assigned new work through the day, add them to the list and get to them when you finish what you’re already working on, so your flow isn’t interrupted.

- At the end of the day, fill out what you’re doing the next day, so that you can fully wrap up the day and not worry about it till the following day.

 

6) I always prepare lunch the night before. Whether I’m cooking or ordering in, I always have enough to put away leftovers for lunch the next day, so that I’m not taking a long break during a work day to figure it out, or worse, skipping lunch altogether.

 

7)  When you’re feeling low on fuel, to overcome the slump, add a snack at the end of the work day, as a way to get yourself to do one more quick task. Small enough so that you are not too full, and can still do a workout, if the spirit moves you. As Newton taught us: a body in motion stays in motion and a body at rest stays at rest — I find it easiest to exercise right after I finish work, when I’m still in motion, because once my butt hits the couch…

 

8) Once you’re done with work, jump right into social time, to create a clear separation between work and life. Have a FaceTime happy hour, catch up with friends, binge Tiger King. Emerge from your dungeon and join the rest of the family. Make dinner together. Don’t forget to save some for lunch the following day!

 

 

And remember — you can do the best you can do, but that’s all you can do. And I can’t stress this enough: right now, as long as you’re staying home, you’re already making your most significant contribution to society.

 

 

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