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The great resignation swept America in droves over the past year and it has been like nothing I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. There has been a surge in articles depicting dystopian workplaces left empty by disgruntled millennials, just wanting to work on their own terms. I am all for working towards your purpose, and I love to see employees seeking that professional win, but it is creating a needed shift in being productive as well. 

Many people are debating whether it is productive to work from home, or if companies are getting the same output that they were pre – shut-down. In fact, productivity seems to be a point of contention with employers, this subject being what justifies moving away from working at home. Well I’m here to tell you that you do not HAVE to go back to the office if you struggle with productivity. There are plenty of ways to boost your output without commiting to the commute. Here are my best five!

note – this article is a summation of life experiences and opinions, and is not meant to be advice, professional, financial, or otherwise. This is purely educational, and research should be used when making life choices. Some of the links in this article are affiliate, and will provide the makers of B.B.L with a commission at no additional cost to you. please read the full disclosure for more.

Keep your morning routine to stay productive

There is nothing better to keep you motivated than sticking to a great routine. Plenty of sources claim morning routines are the essential structure needed for a fulfilling day. In fact – myva360.com states that having a morning routine has psychological and physical benefits, and I couldn’t agree more! Here are some that can set your productivity apart from others:

• It has the potential to start your day off on a great note
• Depending on your morning activities – it can provide pre-work stress relief.
• Exercises your mind (or calm it!) before sitting for a prolonged period of time.

Nothing screams productive like a to-do list

The biggest question that I always used to face was: “How and where do I start to be more productive?” You’ve got a killer morning routine, and you’re feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. Don’t let that clarity go to waste by half performing tasks as you remember. Write it down.

That’s right. a to-do list is the perfect way to add even more structure to your work from home day. But what does this entail? It’s actually quite simple. An efficient to-do list:

• does not have to be super long. 
• Can include tasks from your morning routine.
• should be filled with attainable tasks, not goals.

Get dressed everyday

This tip may be a bit controversial, because one of the perks of working from home is not having to change out of your pajamas right? While it may be tempting to go the comfortable route, it really does not do you any favors in the realm of being productive. Though there are studies that show productivity does not decline when you dress down, they did show that it could lead to poorer mental health. Essentially, this could undo all of the positive progress that you made during your stellar morning routine. Sounds pretty unproductive to me!

We aren’t suggesting you wear your sunday best and a kitten heel by any means. However, there is no harm in dressing as if you are expecting a casual friend to visit. While it may seem like a task that could be annoying to your day, incorporating this into your morning routine could quell the dread of such a seemingly trivial task. The biggest benefits that I have personally gained from this is the added motivation to work at my desk (as opposed to the bed, or couch). It also doesn’t hurt that it establishes another realm of normalcy. The biggest perk (aside from actually WANTING to work in your office), is having an excuse to decorate said office! Can’t get mad at yourself if you actually use it no?

A change of scenery does the trick

One downside to working from home is the dreaded cabin fever. Not having an excuse to leave your house and interact with other humans is a bigger bust than we all anticipated. So how do you combat this terrible feeling? The best course of action is to change your scenery. 

Whether you decide to work at a cozy cafe, or find a nice place outside, a simple change in your surroundings could provide the perfect boost to a productive day.

A great way to incorporate scenery changes is to schedule it into your week. Not only does this break up the monotony in your schedule, but it gives you something to look forward to! Who doesn’t respond positively to that? 

Schedule breaks to stay productive

It’s important to be realistic when striving toward a productive work from home experience. Part of being realistic is acknowledging that there will be days that you don’t perform your best, and that is perfectly fine. The not so secret reality is that everyone has down days, they just do not speak openly about them. Another key is that those same people have plans to combat those less than productive days.

This plan should already be set in place, because there will be a day when you just do not feel 100%. I made it a point to perfect my contingency plan when I found myself fighting against seasonal affective disorder right out of college, and it really does wonders!

The best part of this contingency plan is being kind to yourself by taking breaks from the work wheel. Whether for 30 minutes, or an hour, allowing yourself time to be present and feel your reality is tremendously grounding. An important thing to remember on days like these is that any progress is good progress. 

Conclusion

These are my favorite five ways to stay productive while working from home, and I hope that they resonated with you in any way! With things like this, I am aware that there are so many other options. I am truly curious about ways that you all stay productive, and keep working from home a fresh concept. Please let me know what you think, and routes you take. I am always open for suggestions, and productivity boosting products!

Thanks as always!