How To: Maximize Productivity While Working From Home | Covid-19 Series
Hopefully these 4 tips can help you transition to your WFH environment faster than I could!
In case you missed it, last week I co-hosted a virtual “tea time” on Instagram Live with client (& friend), Brittany Wight of Wight Tea Co.
If you’re unfamiliar with Wight Tea, WELL let me tell you! They’re an awesome, brother-sister-team in Baltimore who make their own premium (& delicious) custom blend teas.
Sipping tea “together”, Brittany and I chatted about my:
‘Top 4 Tips For Maximizing Productivity While Working From Home’
‘Top 4 Tips for Beautifying Your Home During The Quarantine’
With Covid-19 upon us, mass quantities of people are suddenly finding themselves thrown indoors. Juggling life, work, new “co-workers” - all in one contained space and trying to stay sane.
As a freelancer who has worked from home for 4 years now, I’ve grown to love my work/life relationship. However, it took me months to get into a groove that felt good.
Initially, WFH may feel like a complete luxury. Rolling out of bed whenever, staying in PJ’s all day, no boss hovering over your shoulder, no co-workers distracting you…ahhhh, that’s the life! However, all this freedom opened up another other can of worms: YOU’RE now entirely accountable and responsible for your own work flow. If you’re not careful, WFH can actually trigger a layer of emotions and habits that may not have affected you before: stress, anxiety, overworking, exhaustion, feelings of claustrophobia, depression, etc.
As someone who has felt all those feels and gradually overcame them, I wanted to share what I’ve learned. Hopefully these 4 tips can help you transition to your WFH environment faster than I could!
(Over a year ago, Wight Tea Co., photographer Kate Grewal & I worked together to produce the photos currently on their website. Below are a few of my personal favorites. Photography by Kate Grewal | Prop & Set Styling by Limonata Creative)
TIP 1
NEW WORKSPACE, NEW ROUTINE
While you don’t have to abide to the 9-5 rule WFH, if you don’t take control of your schedule, it will inevitably control you. I often found myself working 11+ hour days because I hadn’t set any boundaries for myself.
MINI TIPS:
Write down what your ideal daily schedule looks like, from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep.
Organize your work to-do’s into 60-90 minute chunks.
Between the to-do’s, try to factor in little breaks or wellness activities like:
Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner / TEA TIME, etc.
Working Out / Yoga / Going For A Walk
Meditating
Listening to a podcast
Reading a book or magazine
Doing a little sketch or painting
Try to schedule ‘email checks’ only 2-3 times a day maximum if possible. This allows you to concentrate on your work rather than get sucked into email vortexes.
Make sure to include a hard stop time for your work.
Factor in 7-9 hours of sleep. Trust me, this is important!
TIP 2
MESS = STRESS
There’s a very hard line between ‘sweat pants are the new work pants’ & ‘letting it all go’. It’s a slippery slope that begins with ‘I’m not gonna brush my teeth today because no one will see me’ - that leads you to not do your dishes - or put on deodorant - and before you know it, you’re a stinky little potato sitting in a pile of sandwich crumbs spiraling out of control at your workspace. Yep. This happens. Going THERE is no bueno. But don’t fear! There’s a handful of quick daily activities you can do to boost your mood & productivity!
mini-tips:
Make your bed
Psychologists suggest making your bed prompts you to then tackle other things, one after another throughout the day; boosting productivity & positivity.
Change out of your jammies and get dressed! Even if it’s a pair of leggings and a sweatshirt - get out of those PJ’s.
Brush your teeth / do your hair / put on deodorant - any small thing that makes you feel fresh.
Wherever you’re working, tidy your workspace every day or at least 2-3 times a week.
This will allow you to tackle your to-do’s without any mess distraction & enjoy your space more.
This also helps if you need to video conference with anyone. The area around you is a reflection of you. Take a few moments to think about how you’d like your environment to represent you and make it happen!
Make a to-do list for the following day at the end of the day, organized by priorities. This helps keep you organized and tackle the most important tasks the next day efficiently.
TIP 3
LIMIT DISTRACTIONS
You’re home! There’s no co-workers & no one to tell you what to do. You are FREE to finally concentrate on all the work you’ve wanted to tackle in peace for once! Right? Sorry, but NOPE. When WFH I quickly discovered that the teeniest things in your space can make you wander from your monitor or send you down a wormhole of non-work related activities. The buzz of your weirdly seductive fridge luring you to get a snack, your phone notifying you that someone liked your instagram post, that group text that causes you to have 75 messages in a half hour….the list is endless. But there’s a LOT of things you can do steer clear from distractions.
mini-tips:
Emails:
Schedule email time!
I typically check emails twice a day; once in the morning, once mid-afternoon.
Social Media:
I check social x3 a day; once in the morning, once mid-afternoon, once after dinner.
Try not to be on social media more than 1-2 hours total a day.
Avoid checking social media 1-2 hours before going to bed. Doing so will allow you to get a more restful sleep.
Phone:
Put your phone on silent mode when you’re working.
Turn off any notifications & alerts on your phone and any other tech devices that might interrupt you.
When an unscheduled call or text comes in: Just send a quick message to that person that you’ll get back to them later. Put a reminder /alert in your calendar to do so. I constantly have to remind myself that nothing is an emergency unless I make it one. People can and should wait to hear from you at a time that is more appropriate for you.
Environmental Distractions:
Claim your WFH workspace and TELL your home-mates where that is. This can be anywhere in your home you can find a bit of privacy or space (ie. your bed, dining room table, office, basement, closet, etc).
If your new “co-workers” aren’t respecting your space or time, have a chat with them about what you need to work effectively. Hopefully they’ll respect your thoughts! If talking to them fails, then I suggest:
Wearing headphones. Not only can this help dull any noises around you, but more often than not, people won’t try to disturb you if they see headphones on.
For all the parents out there currently WFH with a house full of kids: I’m not a mom and unfortunately don’t have any nuggets of advice, however, I feel for you. Please connect with peers going through a similar situation and see if there’s any words of wisdom they can share with you.
TIP 4
STAY CONNECTED
Working from home and/or being quarantined in your space due to Covid-19 can easily make you feel isolated and out of touch (literally in Coronovirus’ case!). The best way to combat feelings of isolation is to stay connected with the community that supports you!
mini-tips:
Take initiative & organize meetings or virtual get togethers utilizing apps / programs such as Zoom, Google Chat or FaceTime. These programs are great for connecting with people when you’re not able to meet in person.
Schedule daily or weekly check in calls or video chats with a single member or group of co-workers.
Organize a virtual “happy hour" or “tea-time” with friends, family or anyone that stimulates you or can offer advice.
Make new friends and connections via social apps such as Instagram or Facebook.
Remind yourself that just because you’re home, you’re not alone!
We’re all in this together guys! Say hi to me on Insta and best of luck with your new WFH environment!
{All photos featuring Wight Tea Co Teas | Photography by Kate Grewal | Prop & Set Styling by Limonata Creative
