Due to COVID-19, work from home became a necessity for many professionals. Working from home is paradise, you save money and time. However, it is amazing until your neighbors start listening to loud music or your building decides to test the fire alarm system. All these lead to distortion, lack of productivity, and mental illness. You would ask “So, how can I be productive at home?” The answer – it’s simple.

All you need to do is to isolate yourself from a disturbing environment. For example, if it is too noisy and impossible to work, buy earplugs. They will help reduce the noise. If you have a meeting, go to a cafe or library close by where you can connect to WIFI and work in silence.

If you work in a calm environment but still feel unproductive, create a daily planner with things you need to accomplish. It will give you a clear idea of the amount of work you need to do as well as the time that you need to spend on each task.

If you feel unmotivated and lazy, create a beautiful environment around you. You can put a picture with a motivating quote, or you can sit near the window to have more fresh air to work. If you put flowers on your desk, it will help you reduce stress and increase productivity.

Below is some advice on how to work from home:

1. Take a break.
2. Create a calendar with daily tasks.
3. Keep your work environment bright, with open windows for fresh air.
4. Manage your eating and sleep habits.
5. Go for a walk.
6. Communicate with your colleagues.

1. Take a break.

If you are overwhelmed and stressed, it is a good idea to take a break. Take a walk outside, breath fresh air, or just close your eyes for few minutes. It will help you to reduce your stress level. The break is important because your eyes and brain become tired, so to make your day more productive you should take a break.

• Create a calendar with daily tasks.

A calendar is a necessary tool at work. If you have a bunch of meetings, tasks, and other responsibilities, the calendar will make your life easier. First of all, it will help you organize your day and keep your mind less occupied. Secondly, the calendar is an important part of time management. If your day is organized and planned, then your day will be less stressful and messy.

• Keep your work environment bright, with open windows for fresh air.

It is shown that fresh air reduces sick building syndrome. Sick building syndrome may appear due to poor ventilation, dust, tobacco smoke, and so on. So, it is important to keep your room fresh and clean.

• Manage your eating habits and sleep time.

As you are working from home, after each break you most likely take some snacks from the kitchen. When we work from home, we become lazier to go out or go to the gym. Unhealthy eating habits also have an impact on your productivity. Not eating enough, or eating too much food can cause fatigue. The main source of energy is nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables as well as vitamins and supplements. Also, don’t forget to drink enough water. It will keep your body hydrated.

• Go for a walk

As it was mentioned before, fresh air reduces stress and makes your body healthier. In addition, most of us have sedentary lifestyles. It can cause high blood pressure, osteoporosis, lipid disorders, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity, and depression. To avoid it, you should take a walk after your work. It will make your body and mind stronger. Also, it will improve your mood.

• Communicate with your colleagues.

Communication is an important part of such stressful times. It helps avoid feelings of loneliness. In order to make your communication more productive, schedule a virtual meeting with your colleagues, make your writing clear and brief.

The tips that we provided above will help you be more productive while working from home. Try few things from the list and see how it will help you.

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