7 Tips on How to Stay Productive & Effective When Studying or Working from Home

Due to the current pandemic situation, many companies are instructing employees to work from home and students are attending online classes. For most of them, working remotely is a new and unusual experience. Therefore, I have some tips for you on how to stay productive even when working from home, avoid procrastinating, and remain optimistic. 

There are plenty of advantages in working from home. First of all, you are not spending so much time commuting, consequently, you are saving a lot of time. So you will have more time to organize your new morning routine. 

Make sure you have prepared your working place!

I am sure I will find a group of like-minded people, who will agree that the second advantage is during the autumn and wintertime, is that you don’t have to go outside early in the dark morning when it’s raining or snowing. Despite this, you have to motivate yourself twice as hard when you are staying home, and it is indeed difficult to stay as productive as you are during your usual routine. Consequently, you can begin to go to bed earlier, so you will feel rested and full of energy in the morning! 

When you go to work or university, you dress up and hit the road every day. Habitual activities help you get in the mood for work. For that reason, when you are working remotely, you need to create new habits: exercise, read the news, make coffee, and nutrient breakfast, but is it enough?

How to stay effective and responsible working from home and not to get crazy in four walls?

1. Make sure you have prepared your working place. Don’t work in bed with the laptop on your knees. Setting up a special workplace will help you to feel organized. A separate room, table, or even a corner of the kitchen table will help you to concentrate on the work better, rather than when staying in bed or lying on the couch (you can check this article for additional information about awesome home office gear to make you more organized at home).

2. When you have to stay at home long-term, it’s refreshing to go outside in the morning for jogging or exercise at home. If you have a dog then, of course, it is automatically done. Anyway, it will help you to wake up properly and make you feel way better. Some activities will definitely improve your mood.

it’s refreshing to go outside in the morning for jogging

3. Of course, there is nothing like a nutritious breakfast to start your day. Cook something delicious, it could be porridge with some nuts and fruits or just eggs. You could look for new recipes because there are so many alternatives on how to cook such simple meals as porridge and eggs, so you could enjoy the process of cooking and diversify your morning routine.

4. I know it might be very comfortable to wear pajamas all day. But there is a chance, you will have to join some meetings, where it would be better to dress up. So pick something instead of the pajamas, it should not be necessarily a classical shirt, but something comfortable and a bit formal.

5. Have a break during the work/study day! Go for a walk, for example, in the middle of the working day to get some fresh air and revive your brain. You can go to a nearby park, for example, changing the environment for some time will help you to recharge.

6. Don’t forget to eat healthily, I know how it is tempting to order food online – especially some burgers or pizza – instead of wasting your time with cooking. But if you eat at least more fruits and vegetables, you will quickly see the difference, because you will have more energy just by eating food full of vitamins and nutrients.

Have a  to-do list and schedule your working tasks!

7. Have a to-do list and schedule your working tasks! A to-do list can help you organize your work and stay efficient. Optionally, you can print it and put it on the wall, for example. Also, distribute it as something emergent and more important, and add both global goals (for example, to finish a project) and daily tasks (actions that will help you achieve a global goal). If you prioritize your tasks you will use your time more effectively and by noting the complete tasks you will clearly see how you are moving towards the goal. This will help you maintain your working spirit throughout the day. The job seems easier if you divide a large task into small ones. If you set up your working/studying hours so it doesn’t wide into the whole day, you have more time for your family and hobbies.

I hope you find these tips useful for yourself and maybe pick up something for your new routine at home. Mainly, stay healthy and think positively especially when things are not going exactly how you planned.

I also recommend you subscribe to our daily newsletter, where you can receive updates on the situation in the Czech Republic and other news in your inbox every morning on a working day. 

Source of photo: unsplash.com 

Yulia Ivanova

"As I am also an expat in the Czech Republic so I know and understand well how hard it is to adapt to a new environment. Therefore, I am here for you to share my experience, and I do my best to help you.

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