Many of us are working from home right now due to the Coronavirus. I understand how difficult it can be to stay focused and organized so I created a short list of tips that I hope will help you to be productive while working from your new home office. (How many of us have a new appreciation for actually going to work? Me for sure!)

Create a workspace.

This was actually one of the first things I did because I knew sitting at the kitchen table or on the couch all day was not going to be productive for me. Luckily we had an old desk that I have been able to use, but if you don’t that’s okay too. Maybe you have a card table you could set up and utilize, but the important thing here is to create a space and designate it for work. 

Find when you are most productive.

For me this is right away in the morning, so as soon as I wake up I put a pot of coffee on and start working. I also try not to scroll or look at my phone until after 10 am to make sure I don’t get sucked into that trap. 

Have a schedule.

Create a plan for your day and even set hours of when you will be working. Here is where you will need some willpower to stick to that schedule, but it can be super helpful to plan out your day as if you are actually in the office or on your normal schedule. I like to do this to break up my day so I work in the morning until lunchtime where I take a break from working to get some exercise in, then back to work. That break and exercise allow me to get energy out and stay focused. 

Make a list.

Similar to having a schedule, make a list of tasks you want to do for the day. I am a huge list maker and get a lot of satisfaction when I am able to cross things off. Having a list also helps me to prioritize my time and focus on the top tasks that need to be completed. 

Get dressed.

I have not done the best with this tip as it can be so easy to just roll out of bed, start the coffee and start working. But when I actually get dressed for the day as if I was going somewhere I feel so much better about myself and already feel like I have accomplished something, which I have: changing out of my pajamas!

I hope you find this helpful and if you have any other tips you have tried and found to be super helpful, let us know!