We've been working from home for as long as I can remember. I know for some it's only been months but to me it feels like a lifetime. Being stuck at home and forced to be productive while trying to processing how to get over this pandemic--it's crazy! I wouldn't even be talking about productivity if I didn't feel like this could help. I mean, I'm in no way forcing anyone to be productive but I really just want to share a bunch of tips that works for me while we are in this temporary arrangement.
I'm very lucky to have a flexible arrangement at work, meaning I can come in anytime I want as long as I deliver all my required output at the end of the day or attend any important meeting I should be attending. So when our work from home arrangement started, to say that my schedule became chaotic is an understatement. I would always lose track of time and it just felt like I was working 24/7. I was always on my laptop sometimes watching Netflix but somehow it still felt like I was on shift! It was exhausting and I was starting to feel really burnt out with everything that's happening and that's when I realized I should devise a workflow or at least a process so I can stay sane. Hopefully these tips will work for you as well!
1. Create a home office.
A lot of people dismiss the idea of creating a home office attributing to the fact that they can work anywhere but do you ever wonder why rich people who have ginormous houses still have home offices or libraries when they can practically work in the pool, in their own spa or anywhere in the house? It's because a home office creates a physical separation between work and home. Before the pandemic we had our actual office space for that but now that we're working from home, the separation between work, leisure and relaxation is muddled because we're doing everything in the same space.
Keeping a home office no matter how small can help you physically and mentally create a line between when you're working and when you're at home relaxing. Your home office doesn't have to be huge; it can be those computer tables you can buy from Lazada and just assign a specific corner in your house that's free of distractions!
2. Maintain a routine.
Human beings are creatures of habit. When we don't have a routine, we tend to get lost, frustrated and sometimes angry because it's in our nature to function based on routines. And when the pandemic happened, all of a sudden we have all this time in our hands because we don't have our daily commute anymore. Even if we're working from home, still try and keep the routine you used to have before all this happened. These activities would serve as your transition between work and home.
For example, if you used to read a book, listen to podcasts or play mobile games during your commute, still try and do those things before starting work! If you still find yourself with a lot of time on your hands, spend time with the people you love and the people who matter.
3. Keep boundaries.
This tip is probably one of the tips that a lot of people complain about but it's also one of the best advices I can give when it comes to unplugging from work. In a recent survey of people who work from home, one of the struggles they noted is how they're having a hard time unplugging after work. They have this mindset that since they're just at home anyway, might as well answer that email or do that task that was just sent right after your shift--NO. That's a big no. Not keeping boundaries between work and home just because you're in you're house anyway is one of the major causes of burnout.
That's why you need a home office and that's why you need to keep boundaries. If you come in 8AM - 5PM, log off and don't look at your computer. If there's an emergency at work, you probably will get a call about it. Remember, we don't live to work. We work so we can live our lives to the fullest so do just that even if we're just at home because of the crisis.
4. Utilize tools.
While I keep talking about discipline and motivation as key factors to being productive at home, having a bunch of tools help you along the way ain't that bad. Listing a couple of tools that I personally use to make my life easier.
Canva and Piktochart
Since our WFH situation started, I've been wanting to spend less time on the screen for my own sanity and these are the perfect tools to help me do just that. Remember, work smarter not harder! Canva and Piktochart booth help me with my presentations; both have amazing templates you can already get started with or if you want to do things on your own you can even start with a blank canvas. Both have free and paid subscriptions, but even with the free mode, I can already do so much.
I am a person who easily gets distracted. While working on a task if a certain music that I love plays, I often find myself singing to the entire playlist for an entire hour fully neglecting my task! That's where FocusBooster comes in; it uses the Pomodoro technique where tasks are timed in 25-minute increments with 5-minute breaks in between. At first, I was a skeptical but lo and behold it actually works for my brain who can't keep focused on a task for just 5 minutes. The timer helps me keep a schedule and the urgency that comes with it doesn't really make me feel rushed because i can take breaks in between. It's like a to-do list with a timer.
This is probably the best tool I've discovered this quarantine. Since taking calls and everything else at home at home through mediated programs like Zoom, Team Meetings etc., we've particularly been weary of the noise we have at home and sometimes it's just unavoidable. Krisp is a noise cancelling AI app that filters not just your background noise but also the background noise of the people you're talking to! It can filter barking dogs, your neighbor's ongoing house construction and even screaming kids! The downside is that it's not free, but if you use my code https://ref.krisp.ai/u/ua2a028585 you get 2mos free and so do I!
Honestly that's just what I've been doing, sharing my code so I get a lot of free mos lol. As of this writing, my Krisp.ai is free until 2023 so give it a go and don't forget to share your referral link to friends so you get free months as well.
5. Take breaks.
I don't think I need to say more but really, you're body and mind need those breaks. You ever wonder why they're plotted at work? Like An hour an a half for 9hrs? Not only is it government mandated, but also because it's the bare minimum so you can stay sane. So even when you're working at home, simply standing up, having a conversation with the people you're living with, getting a cup of coffee--whatever it is that relaxes your brain, go ahead and do it. Better if it doesn't involve any of your devices so you can disconnect even for a little while.
Whatever technique you have right now, if it works, it works. These are just additional things I've discovered along the way of also looking for a system that works for me. However you choose to be productive at work, always remember : your mental and physical health comes first. Take a break if you feel like you're drowning, take a step back if things start to get chaotic and don't forget to breath. Here's to being productive amidst a pandemic--or at least trying.
Ochi is a twenty-something Corporate Trainer who loves to cook, take photos and videos of her food, eat and travel. On weekends, she's either drunk or snuggling in bed watching her favorite crime drama. 
