Yesterday, Victoria has announced a seven-day lockdown to stop the further spread of the virus and the potential increase of infected cases. This could mean that during this time, most of us are working from home again. There’s nothing new about this set-up since we had a few lockdowns in the past but were we able to master it and stayed productive just like working in the office? If not, here are some practical tips that could help your productivity to be stoppable.

Dedicate a Workspace.

One of the biggest challenges with working from home is not being able to separate work stuff from home stuff. Working in bed or near your bed might not be a good idea as it decreases work productivity. It will stop you from finishing your daily tasks. The simple solution is to have a dedicated place or room for work. Set up a separate table or another room (if there’s available). By this, you are training your mind to separate work from home. It’s all about mental association.

Act as if You Are in the Office.

Working from home takes time to master particularly when you are used to working in the office. Another hack that you can do to stay productive is to keep on doing things that you usually do before going to the office and when you are in the office. Get up early, take a bath or prepare a coffee. These simple things will give you that “I’m-in-the-office” feeling and will definitely sustain your focus throughout the day.

Avoid Distractions.

Creating a dedicated workspace might not be enough if you keep on going out of your room, leaving your desk or just keep on checking your phone. These little things can affect your pace and momentum while working. Identify these distractions and start avoiding them. Put your phone on silent mode or if you constantly checking your social media apps, might as well don’t bring your phone in your workspace. Close the door to avoid unnecessary noise or listen to music that can boost your energy level.

Create a To-Do List.

Working from home might feel a little unrewarding unlike accomplishing tasks in the office. One of the helpful tips that we can suggest is to create a to-do list before you start working. This will give more structure to your day and make you feel accomplished when you check all the items on your list. Don’t forget to set a timeframe for each task that you have so you won’t be overwhelmed and be more realistic with your “to-do’s”. Commit to it!

Take Breaks but not Too Long.

Don’t underestimate the importance of taking breaks even you’re at home. There were studies that it can generally boost your work productivity when done properly. However, taking breaks at home might be a little challenging as there are more reasons for you to stay away from work. Be mindful of how much time you spend on breaks. You can always set a timer to help you more manage your time.

As part of the new normal, companies are letting their employees work from home particularly when going to the office is not an option. With that, we need to train ourselves to be more flexible and stay productive. In the meantime, enjoy the perks of working from home such as more time with your family and putting you at the ease of not having to commute to the office.

Do you know other work-from-home tips? Let us know in the comment section!