The first hour of your day often determines your productivity levels. Start by getting dressed. Working in your PJs is never as good as it sounds. Then, make your bed. There’s a reason your mother used to nag you about making your bed. According to productivity expert Charles Duhigg, making your bed is a ‘keystone skill’ of successful people.
Working from home means more flexibility. To improve productivity, we should use that flexibility well. When planning your day, ask yourself these questions:
When there’s no-one around to remind you, it can be easy to sit at your laptop all day. This doesn’t equal good productivity. Choose a decent lunch break over scrolling through social media every five minutes. Don’t jump from task to task out of boredom. Work with purpose and then take a proper break, away from your work.
FYI, your bed is not the best environment for productive work. You will get uncomfortable. You will get sleepy. So, get out of bed. So, where should you work? Here’s our review of top work-from-home spaces:
The fact is, accountability accelerates productivity. We all work harder when we know someone is checking in. That’s why people pay for personal trainers! The watchful eye of someone we respect is often excellent motivation for working hard. In the office, there is natural accountability.
You’re not looking for perfection. You’re just aiming for progress to improve productivity. Working from home presents particular challenges. However, with a little bit of thought and creativity, you can overcome them and work just as productively at home as in the office. Take some time to prepare and plan.