Here’s What I Do To Stay Productive When Working From Home

Since the rise of the Covid-19 pandemic, working from home has become the new norm for many of us. So much so, that many of us are dreading going back into the office in the coming months, as Coronavirus restrictions are being lowered. Working from home can be pretty nice, especially on those lazy days where all you want to do is spend the day in bed and binge watch your favorite Netflix show. On the downside, having all the distractions of being home can lead to laziness and unproductivity - for me at least. While I do believe that it’s okay to have a lazy day from time to time, let’s face it: your workload isn’t going anywhere and sometimes you need to just suck it up and force yourself to work. I came up with a few methods to make this “working from home on a lazy day” process a little bit easier. If you’re like me and find yourself losing all motivation to work on the days you’re working from home, try these tricks because they really helped me!

Bed is not your enemy

One of the hardest things for me is the simple act of getting out of bed. Once I’m out, things are a little bit easier, but sometimes I feel like spending a little extra time in bed gives me the energy I need to thrive throughout the day (as dramatic as that may sound). I can’t change my work hours, but what I can do is spend the first one working out of my bed. I step out of bed, grab a glass of water, maybe a coffee, and slip right back under the sheets to start my first project for the day. One extra hour in bed, even if it is spent working, really helps me in the sense that I can take my time “waking up” and rolling out of bed. Because let’s be honest - I can’t be the only person who lies in bed for 20 minutes staring at the ceiling or scrolling through social media upon waking up.

Make your bed

I know there are a lot of people who wake up and leave their sheets the way they are, because truthfully, it’s not like you’re not going to mess them up when you go back to bed in a few hours. However, making your bed in the morning can really help start your day on a fresh and clean foot. Having your bed made is not only one of your first completed tasks of the day, but also makes your bedroom look clean and organized, which can lead to feelings of calmness and productivity.

Take a shower and brush your teeth

Listen, spending an extra hour in bed is fine. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I’d love to spend the entire day in bed, however, I also know that doing that will inevitably make me feel like a lazy unproductive mess, even if I’ve been working all day. After I spend that extra hour in bed, I get up, take a shower, and brush my teeth. This makes me feel refreshed, clean and ready for the day. A nicely made bed is great, but feeling fresh in your own body and clothes - best feeling ever.

Easily distracted? Try my on/off rule.

If I am guilty of any type of procrastination, it’s the constant time I spend scrolling through social media in between workloads. I realized that sometimes I really lose track of how much time I’m spending on social media, making me far less productive. To battle that, I’ve decided to give myself short intervals of work and social media breaks. I work for 15 minutes, then scroll for 5. This means you are still working three times as much as resting, leaving you with 45 minutes of productivity and 15 minutes of rest per hour. Plus, it makes time fly!

Eat, drink, exercise

I know that the gym isn’t for everyone, and that’s fine! When I say exercise, I mean do something active. Whether this be before you start working, or at the end of the day, take 20-60 minutes doing something active every day. It can be a walk, some active stretching, a visit to the gym, a run, whatever it is that makes you feel good. Not only is this a great way to blow off some steam, but it can help improve the quality of your sleep, making you more productive and alert during the day, and releases endorphins, boosting your overall mood. In addition, please don’t forget to stay hydrated and eat a balanced diet (or literally whatever you want) throughout the day. Sometimes I forget to eat, and it shows. I get tired, moody, frustrated, irritable - none of which are good for work productivity.

These are just a few simple methods I’ve been using to make my days working from home a little more productive. That said, I’m sure everyone has different ways of dealing with laziness and unproductivity, however I’m always happy to share what works for me. I’m hoping this site will help my fellow lazy day people get through it as well!