I know many people have had to transition to working at home, at least temporarily, due to the pandemic. I have been working at home for a few years now and I know all too well how easy it can be to get distracted. You know that laundry that’s piling up or the shows waiting for you on the DVR? They can quickly throw you off track and leave you struggling to get your work tasks completed.

Here are 5 Ways to Stay Productive:

• Have a Routine – Following some sort of routine each morning will help you jump start your work day, even if it’s just 10 minutes. Set your intentions for the day and know what is on your schedule and task list. I shared some more about my morning routine in this blog post.
• Get Dressed – You will feel more put together and in work mode if you get ready and put on “real” clothes. Don’t just roll out of bed in your pajamas and start working, even if it’s tempting! Even if it’s just leggings with a top and a quick 5 minute face of makeup, it makes a world of difference.
• Create a Designated Work Space – Even if you don’t have an office space, use the dining room table or another area in your home to work from. Having a rolling cart makes this super easy if you’re tight on space! I worked from a too-small desk in my closet (to be fair, it’s a room that was converted to a closet) with bad lighting and not enough space to spread out and organize all of the things for several years. I can’t wait to show you my NEW home office space that I worked on at the end of the year!
• Time Block & Batch Work – I use Google Calendar to schedule out my week on Sundays. I block out time for already scheduled meetings or appointments, exercise, working hours, etc. I block out certain work tasks that I know need dedicated time and focus, like creating content, copywriting, client management, and more. I love my block timer for these types of tasks! You can also consider batch working on certain days of the week. For example, on Mondays, I work on writing future blog posts. I don’t always follow this as well as I would like, but it’s definitely helpful when I do!
• Take Breaks – Get up a go for a walk, put on some music and move around, do some stretching…whatever works for you! Take a 5 or 10 minutes between time blocks to reset your body and your mind before starting the next item on your list.

I got to be part of a fun photoshoot showing off my Covid wear outfit – business on the top (for all of the Zoom calls) and comfy on the bottom. Check out the other photos from the project!