Steps to Productivity Lockdown

(9 min read)

Now that we spend all our time sitting at home, we all have to make some big changes. So many of us are used to getting up early in the morning, we prepare ourselves for the day, and head off to work to be productive. But now that we are in lockdown, everything changes. Or does it?

 

Does the fact that we are in lockdown mean that we can’t be productive? Perhaps by now you have tried working from home, but things aren’t going so well. There are too many distractions, or maybe you can't get into that headspace where you're in the momentum of getting things done. Now, you may want things to go back to normal so that you can get back to your routine. But unfortunately, it could still be a while before things go back to something similar to what was normal. Things will never be exactly the same. We cannot control what things will be like when we come out the other end of this, but there is something we can control.

 

Ourselves. So what can we do? Try these steps that can help you take control of your life, to be as productive as you can be. Who knows, you might find yourself more productive at home than when you were in an office? Ain't that a nice thought.

 

Schedule

 

First things first, When are you working, and when are you not. Establishing working hours is important because this will be the first of many goals that you will be setting when working at home. You are making a commitment to work between these hours and allow all other distractions, to take up your time outside of these hours.

 

This will take a little bit of experimenting, but find your peak time. This is when you are most productive. For most people it's early in the morning. For some, even as early as 2 am. Others might be night owls and enjoy working in the evenings late into the night. Finding your peak time is key to getting into the right state of mind for a productive work day.

 

Then create a to-do list. This is a list of goals for the day. I suggest creating your to-do list the night before, so that you know exactly what you are going to do from the time you wake up and so that you don’t waste precious time in the day planning. When starting your new routine, I would suggest starting off slow. Don’t start day 1 with a long list of things to do, because if you have a long list of unticked tasks by the end of the day, you will get demotivated. So start off with the right amount of tasks you know you can complete, because who doesn’t enjoy that satisfying tick after a task is completed. And then, do more if you still have time left. Nothing says productive than doing more than you planned.

 

*obviously don’t write down 2 tasks for the day that will be completed within 2 hours. Let's be honest, that’s not being productive.

 

Our Environment

 

Now that we know what to do, let's find a place to do it. In our home, there are distractions almost everywhere. If you don't have an office or study in your home, finding that dedicated spot meant for work and not allowing distractions to take place is important. Having a place that is seperate from our normal relaxing space is Crucial for setting boundaries between your professional and personal life. So that when you knock off, you're not still stuck in the same place. That could drive you crazy. But If you find your couch a productive space (like me), then I won’t stop you.

 

A dedicated work space also allows your family or roommates to know when they can disturb your life or not. Make it known that this is your office space, and that they should treat it as such. It’s a “Do not disturb” space.

 

What can also contribute to your environment is what you wear. Some have found that dressing for the part, puts you into the part. So dress like you would if you were going to work. Unfortunately, pajamas and onesies scream the opposite of productive.

 

Partner up

 

I have found that working with someone close by boostes my productivity. You don’t even have to be working on the same thing, all you have to do is just work together. It simulates the office vibes. It's like I am not alone in this. We both have our stuff to do, and we keep each other going without saying a word. The occasional talks help as well, you can bounce ideas off each other, share that really funny joke or meme, and when you need that pep talk before you give up, they're there.

 

Most likely there is someone in your household that is also doing some form of working from home. Ask if you can work together. Just be careful, they are supposed to help you be productive and not be your distraction.

 

Baby steps

 

Diving head first into the deep end is never a good idea when learning how to swim. Working from home is a new world for most people. So don’t try to replicate a work schedule that you’ve done for years at the office, now at home. That would be like diving into the deep end, and then when people fail at it, they will get demotivated. As mentioned earlier, Start out with a to-do list you know you can complete. And then increase your workload little by little from there. Succeeding everyday is better than failing the first day and never getting back up.

 

You may look at someone who is busy all the time and think they are productive. But in reality, they are less productive than you. Don’t get caught up in the idea that if I am busy all the time, I am productive. You could be busy with a thousand little things, and then sit back at the end of the day asking yourself, “what have I accomplished”? And you can’t think of a single meaningful thing that you have done. Have you ever felt like that? I have. Don’t aim to be busy, aim to get stuff done. That is why even a small to-do list for the day is better than a long to-do list. Just make sure that what is on your to-do list, is what is actually important. Even a to-do list that has 3 items on it, is ok. Just make sure it's important!

 

Try not to be too hard on yourself in the beginning. There will be times when you slip up. Getting into a new routine can be hard, but with enough motivation and persistence, it's achievable.

 

To find out what kind of tools you can use to increase productivity at home is what you'll need next. Find that here.

 

Working from home isn’t so bad, you just might like it.

One definite perk is the traffic!