6 Easy Tips To Help Structure Your Time At Home

1. Set an alarm

Yes you could sleep in, but what if you didn't? Being stuck in my childhood bedroom instead of a bustling dorm of college students, I was initially excited to finally get to sleep in. However, after a few days of this, I found myself wandering around the house like a zombie the entire day, lethargic and unmotivated. I realized that letting myself sleep in signified to my body that I had nothing to accomplish and it was vacation time. I was so accustomed to having a 7:30am alarm that without it my body and mind signed off for the day. Although I may roll over in anger when the dreaded ring tone sounds with the birds, I always accomplish more on the days that begin with an alarm. Even if you set an alarm for a leisurely time of morning, (no need to be rising at 5am in quarantine) it can help set the tone of a work day and boost motivation.

2. Write out a schedule (even if you don't have one)

Even if your to-do list consists of one task, write that sh*t down. I am a planner. My college schedule was brimming with meetings, classes, work, assignments, and motivational stickers, so the blank slate I was faced with in quarantine was terrifying. At first I filled my schedule only with zoom meetings or other scheduled obligations; but as these became few and far between, I realized that I needed to reevaluate my criteria for schedule-worthy material. I have started to include anything and everything on my schedule/ to-do list, filling my days with readings, cleaning, cooking, calling friends, etc. Just listing these simple, daily occurrences helped me feel like I had a reason to get up each day.

3. Get ready in the morning

Dress to impress your empty bedroom and computer. While I certainly gravitate towards leggings and sweatshirts far more often than I did in the real world, I still try to get ready in some fashion each morning. This could be putting on jeans, styling your hair, or putting on some mascara; whatever makes you feel like less of a naked mole rat. If I stay in my PJs all day, all I want to do is crawl back into bed. At least a pair of jeans can trick my body into thinking I have somewhere to be that day. I've found that these semi-conscious shifts in presentation and mindset can really increase productivity.

4. Set timers for individual tasks

You'll get more done on the clock. I was used to having busy days to fit my homework into, so the infinite time in quarantine proved more difficult than helpful. I found that setting short, reasonable time frames to focus on tasks helps me stay motivated and avoid the distraction of my phone. Setting a timer for 30 minutes to read a book or answer emails means that you are less likely to spend 10 of those minutes searching the web, and are also less likely to unlock your phone when you see the clock counting down. This will help divide up the monotony of your work day and split up tasks, even if they are all done on your computer.

5. Dedicate time to meals/ breaks

Lunch breaks are still a thing, even at home. While it may be easy to half ass work for 12 hours at home with bedridden snacks of Cheetos, maintaining structured breaks throughout the day will help focus your time spent working. I often find myself working on a document with lunch or dinner in my hands, rather than taking a complete break from my work to eat. It is so much easier to focus on work if you have taken time to nourish yourself and give your mind a break, especially since so much of our day is spent staring at a computer screen nowadays. Closing your laptop and going to prepare a meal will also help you cook and eat healthier meals instead of snacking on an entire bag of chips for 6 hours straight (it's really an issue now y'all...)

6. Switch between tasks

Just because you could spend an entire day writing one paper doesn't mean you should. My first few days in quarantine I thought that I should be able to churn out 10 page papers in 1 day due to my newfound free time, but this proved impossible. Despite the abundance of time, focusing on one single task for an entire day will result in more distraction and less focused work overall. Instead, choosing 3-5 tasks for the day will keep your attention focused on each one while also letting you cross more things off of your to-do list. This way, when you start to get bored of one task, you can switch it up instead of forcing yourself to double down on a single goal.