Having to stay at home can have a significant impact on your mental wellbeing, however, developing a routine to stay productive is a very beneficial way to counteract this. Here are a few tips to get started!
Evaluate Your Needs
First, figure out what you actually need to get done during the day. Make a list of day-to-day activities and include tasks that you have to do less frequently like laundry. Don’t worry about organizing this list, just write down as much as you can think of that you would like to include and should include in your daily routine.
Structure Your Day
Think about when you are most productive and when you need time to relax and try to incorporate that into your daily structure
- Mornings – it can be hard to get up and going in the morning so try to plan to do something fun that will get you out of bed. Once you’ve gone about your early morning routine, try to tackle the one thing that you are least looking forward to. There’s a saying, “eat the fog,” that refers to getting done with the least fun task first thing so you’re not thinking about it all day.
- Midday – people’s energy levels often drop in the afternoon. To avoid this, get out of the house for a (socially distanced) walk or jog or even just try to sit outside in the sun for a little bit.
- Evenings – this is a great time to organize and plan. Try to clean up items like dishes that may have piled up over the day and take the time to work on a plan for the next day!
Avoid Distractions
When working from home, it’s easy to get distracted! To combat this, establish a workspace that is as distraction-free as possible. You may also want to create office-hours during which your family knows not the bother you so you can focus on your work. If you find yourself using your phone too much, try putting it in another room when it’s time to get down to business.
Stay Active
If you can safely leave the house for a walk, take advantage of the beautiful weather and get some exercise in! For a more intense home workout, turn to YouTube where there are plenty of no-equipment workouts with a wide range of intensities. Finally, try to get up and walk around the house every hour to get some extra steps in.