Who thought this work-from-home grind was going to last this long? I recall thinking to myself back in March of 2020…ok this is just temporary, this will just be a few months…as I watched Taylor slowly take over my home office. Little did we know, he would still be working from home well into 2021, so many months later!
My work schedule throughout this pandemic has been consistent, being a full-time ER Nurse; but the time-off that I spend on New Cotton Blend and just adulting in general (taxes, doctors appointments, bills, online shopping, yada yada) has looked a bit different. I’ve lost the sweet opportunity to sit in a cute coffee shop and blog my little heart out, and I’ve given up my home-office space to Tay, who truly is working from home. (Not that I mind at all, I’m loving the extra time with him!). But this year’s lifestyle changes have brought some adjustments in my productivity from home, and I’m into a good groove!
In this post, I’ll be sharing a few tips to be more productive at home! Working 12 hour shifts, the 3 days a week that I’m at work are shot to heck…so my limited time off needs to be well divvy’d up between social time, Taylor time, and efficient, productive business time! Anyone else feel this split? Hopefully these few tips will help you feel more inspired and ready to take on a long to-do list! Get to work, girl!
Buy a Planner. A sturdy, leather bound, high quality planner that gets your organizational senses all warm n tingly! Maybe some pretty fine-tip pens and some fun washi tape, too! I’ve been loyal to the same planner company since college. Gallery Leather’s Professional Weekly Planner. Linked there for ya! I love the vertical layout, giving me plenty of space for daily notes and appointments. The leather cover holds up so well, as this planner goes with me everywhere I go!
Write To Do Lists. And stick to them! If you’re like me, there’s no greater sense of power and satisfaction than checking off an item from a to-do list! I try to set to-do lists for each day off that I have, rather than a to-do list for the whole week. By splitting up the to-do tasks to no more than 3 per day, I feel less overwhelmed! Why set myself up for failure and commit to a lengthy list of to-dos that I know won’t reasonably be completed in 1 day. If you need a positive boost, add super simple items like ‘make the bed’ or ‘take your vitamins’ to your to-do list! Those are guaranteed completed tasks! And sometimes a win, even a small one, just feels good.
Set up shop in a place that supports good body mechanics. For me, this means somewhere I can sit on my bottom, and sit upright with good posture. If you’re tempted to turn on the tv or curl up for a nap while you’re cozied up on the couch, try not to tackle some online to-do’s from that location! Sit in a supportive chair, or better yet, at a standing desk! My sister, Rachel, while working on her PhD, purchased a small treadmill to place in front of her desk. She raised her laptop up on a stack of books to match her standing height. Innovative, and multi-tasking at its finest!
Prioritize your most strenuous task first, and take breaks! I try to leave the house only once, and I cluster all my out of the house errands in that time frame. That way, I have the rest of the day for to-dos that can be done from my laptop or just from home, in general. I have found that after a day online, or running around the house, I’m less likely to want to get dressed and leave home for errands! If you’re the opposite, take care of the at-home to-do’s first, and leave the outside the home miscellaneous errands for the end of day. Regardless, I think its important to reflect within yourself, and assess which to-do task is gonna wear you out. Or potentially, which task will be the most time consuming – try to complete that one first! Feels good to get that out of the way before moving onto quicker, easier tasks.
Hydrate! If I’m stuck on my laptop for a few hours, I view that as a great chunk of time to catch up on water intake. If not water, pair your list of to-dos with a cozy beverage like coffee or hot tea. Something that makes you want to sit at a desk and be online for awhile. You’ll also find that you’re less likely to snack while being productive at home if you’re well hydrated in between meals! On top of that, the more fluid you drink, the more forced you are to take small breaks in between tasks – to use the bathroom! Even 10 steps down the hall to the bathroom is enough movement to recirculate your blood flow and give you a burst of energy before moving onto the next task on your list.
Set a schedule for yourself. Figure out what your most productive hours of the day are! For me, thats between noon and 5pm. Post workout, while Taylor is at work. That may work for you, but you also could be an early bird or a night owl – everyone is different! Doesn’t matter WHEN you check off your to-do list, just as long as it gets done! Once you find your productive hours, devote those hours for your to-do list! Set aside other activities for a time outside those productive hours. For example, my cardio warm up at the gym is used for mindless, social media scrolling. By getting that nonsense out of the way before my productive hours of noon-5, I am preserving those productive hours for true efficiency!
Give yourself some grace. Life will go on if the to-do list doesn’t get done. And that is ok! Sometimes no matter how committed you are to a productive day at home, life gets in the way! Try to be aware of some items on your to-do list that are low on the priority list. Tasks that can be moved to another day, if needed. Don’t too comfortable in that lack of urgency for those tasks; but by giving yourself a bit of grace and understanding, you’ll finish your productive day at home feeling accomplished – even if every last item wasn’t checked off.
Are you feeling ready to take on the day? Ready to fearlessly attack your to-do list, with your leather bound planner in hand? Share your feedback with me in the comments – are these tips helpful? What are your sneaky tips to be more productive at home?
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