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I didn’t think so!
With some major planning, a tablespoon of fortune, and a pinch of luck, you’ve found some time off from work to dedicate it entirely to finding ways to advance your career and crossing things off your to-do list (besides the household chores).
Problem is, the titled activities are what we often resort to when we finally have the privilege to get a few days off. And if you’re anything like me, you may often have a difficult time focusing, and this has led to those dreaded procrastination tactics.
You know the ones…
Activities we’d usually hate to do after a typical work day, but we must do them anyway.
And now that you’ve found the time to get started on your to-do list, all of a sudden you’ve also found enjoyment in and the energy to:
- Get all 4 loads of laundry done, folded and tucked away.
- Become a master chef and cook a week’s worth of meals.
- Organize your closets and put your summer clothes away to make room for the winter ones, or vice versa.
- Clean out the fridge, finally throw out that month’s-old-milk and those mildewed strawberries– and then even go grocery shopping!
Okay, so you’ve made a good start on getting ‘productive’ and can now finally sit down to the task of crossing off your goals for the day.
…But then it hits you.
It’s 8:00 pm! And you’re already exhausted after a full day of procrastination work!!
The good news: we can change those procrastination activities and get more done with our day.
So below are 5 surefire ways to increase your productivity when you begin giving more attention to your self-care or advancing your career:
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#1 – TAKE A SHOWER!
Huh?
No really, hear me out.
When you wake up in the morning, get into the same routine of getting ready to go to your day job (or night job for you night nurses). Get in the shower, brush your teeth, put in your contacts, get dressed (no yoga pants), eat breakfast…
But by simply getting into a morning routine, you get in the habit of setting yourself up for success because you’re placing yourself in work mode. And, when you get in the routine of going to work, it will actually get you working.
[Tweet “When you get in the routine of going to work, it will actually get you working!”]
#2 – Find an Area Away From Distractions
Sometimes you may be tempted to just plop right down on the couch, laptop in your lap, with your feet up and the TV on in the background. Trouble is, you’re now in relax mode as opposed to work mode.
Find an area, away from distractions and too much comfort, so you can get some work done.
I find that when I’m dressed, contacts in, sitting at my kitchen table away from distractions, I get tons of more work done compared to just working on the couch.
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#3 – Silence Your Phone
Set your “do not disturb” on your phone and place it out of sight! Try silencing your phone for 1 hour while you work, and you’ll be amazed at how much you get done. Try silencing your phone for a few hours and you’ll probably get more done in those few hours than you’ve done in a whole day.
Usually, I silence my phone for 8-10 hours at a time (I’m an introvert, so it’s easy for me). And, I’ll check it 2-3 times within that time period to respond to urgent calls or texts (not emails!) if I have them. And let’s be honest. They’re never urgent, right?
#4 – Don’t Check Your Email (or Social Media) as Soon as You Wake Up
Try holding off on email until 10am. Try noon if you’re up for the challenge.
Ever wonder why the time flies when you check your email first thing in the morning? Well, before you know it, you’ve been checking/responding to email for 4 hours and have yet to cross one task off your list.
And leave social media for breaks. Sometimes I’ll even find myself looking at tons of travel accounts… daydreaming about where I’m headed next. Only to realize I’ve wasted hours!
Which brings me to the last tip…
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#5 – Make Your List of Must-Do’s for the Next Day
The night before you’re ready to set yourself up to work, make a list of 3 important tasks that you must do to move forward in your career goals. They must be manageable within the course of a day so you can feel a sense of accomplishment when you’re finally done for the day. Start working on the first, and try not moving on to the next task until the first is completed. However, if you feel stuck, feel free to do so,
Any additional task that you complete after your 3 Must-Do’s is a bonus because you’ll make a new list of 3 Must-Do’s for the next day. Try stopping at a decent hour. Even though you may finish all of those tasks on-time, there’s no need to burn out by adding 3 more tasks to complete by the end of the day.
Also, try making a list every night. This will probably help you stay on track as goals are often never finite. There’s always something to work towards.
So, there you have it. When I’m not slacking, these are the tips that keep me going and can help ‘up’ my productivity.
What about you? Do you have any tips that you’d like to share about staying productive when working from home? Please feel free to place them in the comments below. I’d love to hear them!
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