40 tips for working from home

Since we’re all stuck working from home for the indefinite future, I thought I’d put the call out on Instagram for all your top tips on being productive from home. 

 

A big thank you to everyone who submitted a tip – you can find them linked below.

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Top tips on being productive working from home.

 

1. @Sallyprosservoice: Give yourself lots of mini deadlines

Being part of a mastermind group has helped with bigger deadlines. Get a friend or family member to keep you accountable. 

 

2. @coffeecardiochaos: Dedicated space – even if it’s a dedicated spot on the couch

 

3. @nikita.kuenz: Create the right space! I only work at my desk, nowhere else because otherwise, I get distracted. 

Definitely. Every habit starts with a trigger – for example, walking into the kitchen in the morning might be a trigger for your habit to turn on the coffee machine and make a coffee. So by consistently doing this, you’re creating the trigger for your brain – it knows when you sit down at your dedicated spot, it’s time to start working. Atomic Habits. 

 

DON’T USE THIS SPOT FOR ANYTHING ELSE.

 

Also, you might tell yourself you can be productive working from bed… But can you really? Having said that, there are some days when you just need to, and that’s fine too. 

 

4. @steph__hill: Standing up and moving around the house for 15 mins every 2 hours

 

5. @steph__hill: Sit and write a list of tasks to accomplish for work vs. home so everything is there

 

6. @steph__hill: Planning a transition activity from work mode to home. E.g. Quick yoga class, call a friend.

I try to do this every day with a walk – I’ll listen to a non-business podcast and go for a long walk.

 

7. Myself: Implement a work shutdown routine – Maybe one final check of your inbox, final check of DMs, Close your to-do list for the day, then turn your computer OFF and hide it away.

 

8.  @espreedevora: Using FocusMate for virtual coworking

 

9. @espreedevora: Setting top 3 priority tasks daily 

 

10. @yuxerbysandra: For me, it’s just setting only 3 tasks for the day. Anything I do beyond that is a bonus. 

 

11. @trevormerriden: Plan your day, every day – 3 things, no more, that you will do by the end of the day. 

 

12. @thesette.co: Start the day by thinking about the 3 most important things that need to get done are.

I love these. I’ll add to this and say that the most important tasks aren’t necessarily the most urgent ones. They’re the ones that move you forward towards your goals, but we can often put them off because there are things that seem more urgent – and then we end up not moving forward. 

 

 

13. @ninalansdowne: Set 6 things to do, know that after they’re done you can have a wine and do something fun. 

 

14. @iamtheoa: Make a schedule of definite everyday activities and add bonus new things to it to shake it up at the end.

 

15. @jotapis: Have a schedule of activities planned and schedule breaks as well. 

 

16. @trevormerriden: Take regular breaks. 

 

17. @thatgoldenfeeling_: Setting up schedules, dressing up nicely and giving myself time to also rest. 

 

18.  @studioged_: Schedule time for cleaning, laundry, grocery in advance so it doesn’t randomly distract you

 

19.  @weareponderlily: Pomodoro technique for full focus and it helps you stay in a routine easier

 

20.  @cwvirtualassistant: Get dressed and ready for the day

 

21. @michbroadbent: Dress for work – do your hair and make up and wear shoes. Feels like you should be in work mode. 

On the days when I do this and when I feel good, I show up on my stories more. 

 

22.  @spatalks: Lean into your strengths. If you get the 3pm slump then don’t force yourself to work, you’ll just end up feeling guilty for not getting as much done when you needed a break.

I love this – I’m a morning person, which means I’m super productive at 6am, but after around 2 or 3pm, I’m useless. So I know that I need to schedule my deep work tasks for the mornings, and if I need to call it a day at 2pm, that’s okay. 

 

23.  @ellielouhere: Write your to-do list for the next day before you clock off in the arvo

 

24.  @bossanddearie: Batch similar tasks.

 

25. @thesette.co: Set a time to get up and move. The longer you sit, your brain gets cloudy and productivity goes down.

 

26.  @clare_wood_coach: Put your phone in a different room.

(And if you’ve got a mac and an iPhone, turn do not disturb on on your computer so you don’t get message and call notifications). 

 

28.  @socialsoulmedia: Compartmentalise your day.

I actually have found that blocking out my days in my calendar helps. So from 6-9 am is my deep work time. I don’t even look at my emails until 9am if I can help it. Then a lunchtime workout, then lunch then a few more hours of work, a walk, and then once I’m back from my walk I’m free to do whatever I wish – the work day is over. 

 

29.  @ankitalewis: Go for a walk or do half an hour of movement in the morning. 

If your brain is struggling, sometimes the best thing you can do is just get out and move. I find listening to music instead of a podcast can be what I need. Also, if you get stuck on a problem that you need to think about – do a walking meditation. No headphones, no phone, just walk.

 

30.  @yumglutenfree: Make a work date. Discuss 3 tasks, hang up, set a timer then hop back on a call afterwards to debrief

 

31.  @leannewebber: Share your to-do list on your IG stories.

 

32. @trevormerriden: Isolation is a state of mind – don’t let 4 walls constrain your contact when there are so many ways to break through them.

(But don’t do what I did and schedule like 200 zoom calls in the first week of isolation. I’m still an introvert in isolation). 

 

33. @trevormerriden: Break down every project into tasks of 1 hour or less to make them more digestible.

 

I do this too – often I find when I’m procrastinating, it’s because I’m overwhelmed. Not because I don’t actually want to do it, but because the whole task seems so daunting. 

 

34. @trevormerriden: Forgive yourself at the end of every day for what you haven’t done. Enjoy what you have done.

I love this – the concept of the ta-da list, where you celebrate the things you have accomplished during the day. 

 

I also do that weekly – because day to day it can feel like we’re not really achieving much, but over the course of a week, we can get a lot done.

 

35. Make good decisions when it comes to food – pay attention to what gives you energy and what causes those spikes and crashes. For me, that means no sugar and a relatively lower carb diet – but for you that might be totally different.

 

I also practice intermittent fasting, so I usually only have my first meal of the day around 1 or 2pm. This makes a HUGE difference to my focus and energy in the mornings.

 

I’m also prone to mindless snacking when I’m stressed or bored, so I’ve stopped buying foods that I can mindlessly snack on. I recorded a whole episode with Bec on this.

 

36. Structure your ideal week – try to book in all your calls around the same time or on the same day, so you’re not constantly switching mindsets. As an introvert, I find calls and podcast interviews really draining on my energy, so I limit them to 2 days per week – otherwise I’d never get anything done.

 

37. If you have a dedicated room for working, shut the door when your work day finishes.

 

38. Create a little ritual that brings you joy each time you sit down at your desk in the morning – for me that’s enjoying my coffee and lighting a candle at my desk. 

 

39. Make your bed in the morning

 

40. Realise that some days you’re the hammer, other days you’re the nail. Rest when you need to rest and push when you can.

 

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