4 Tips For Working From Home

I made my first IGTV video a few weeks ago, sharing some tips for being productive at home. It didn't get many views, which is what I expected, but the advice given was pretty useful if I do say so myself. For that reason, I decided to go back to my comfort zone and share that same advice with my blog readers. For the first couple weeks of self isolating, I found it pretty difficult to study from home. I'm basically a permanent resident in my campus library, so not being able to go there and work took adjusting to. Luckily I found what works for me and I have been able to submit assignments early! If you want to know what I do, just keep reading.

M A I N T A I N  A  M O R N I N G  R O U T I N E

It can be so easy to end up in your pyjamas all morning, doing absolutely nothing. With no where to go, naturally you're probably not going to set an alarm however a lack of morning routine can potentially set you up for failure. If you're waking up early afternoon (or even late afternoon), half your day is already gone and that leaves you with less time to be productive. Just like you would if you had somewhere to go, set an alarm so that you wake up at a reasonable time. There is nothing wrong with lying in, but try not to wake up too late. I like to set mine for about 9am as it isn't too early but also leaves enough time to actually have a morning.

In your morning routine, include breakfast because it will give you energy to get through the day. Another important thing is to actually get ready. Putting on normal clothes is a great way to feel ready to work. If I'm in pyjamas and no makeup, 9 times out of 10 I won't do anything but watch Netflix. I like to put actual clothes on and do my makeup because I feel more prepared for a productive day. I don't wear makeup everyday but definitely on days where my to-do list is lengthy. I don't know why it works, but it does. 

C R E A T E  A   R E A L I S T I C   T O - D O   L I S T

If you read my blog posts regularly or you know me personally, you already know I love a good list. With so much going on, it's perfectly acceptable to not do tons of work. This time should be about looking after your health (physical and mental), so make sure your to-do list is realistic. I definitely haven't done as much as I would usually, however I still consider my days successful most of the time. Some days I may feel that I can get six things done and on other days I may only feel I can do one. I like to make my list either the night before or the morning of. Get a sense of how you're feeling and go with that. I had an essay due a couple weeks ago that was quite difficult, so I would set myself the goal of 200 words a day. This for me was realistic and allowed me to submit the assignment early, which I was very happy about. If I had tried to do it all at once, I probably would have gotten really stressed and unmotivated. 

There is no shame in not getting everything ticked off that you may have planned to do. Don't be too hard on yourself if you don't meet your expectations. You may have amazing days and some not so great days, but any step forward is an achievement. 

S O C I A L  D I S T A N C E  W H I L E  Y O U ' R E  S O C I A L   D I S T A N C I N G

We're obviously having to work from home because the government have encouraged social distancing, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As a result of that, we're (hopefully) seeing more of our family and spending quality time with them. Although that's fab, it isn't always helpful when it comes to the productivity department. Sometimes we can be really distracted by conversations and opportunities to spend time with family, so end up losing out on work time. My third tip is to allocate time and space away from family whilst you get work done. I know I need to be on my own to get work done, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Find a space in your house where nobody can distract you. Whether that be your bedroom, the garden, your office (if your house is boujee like that). Even if it is only for an hour, it will help you get things done. 

T A K E  B R E A K S  W H E N  Y O U  N E E D  I T 

This is a cliché piece of advice but just as, if not MORE important as the previous mentioned. Like I said, this time should be mainly used to focus on maintaining good health, so please do not overwork yourself or push beyond your means. Sometimes I can work long hours with no breaks but other days I can work long hours, with lots of breaks throughout the day. There is nothing wrong with taking breaks throughout the day, but make sure those breaks are disciplined and are actual breaks, rather than you just stopping. There are times where I will set an alarm and once it goes off, I immediately get back to work. If you feel that will help you, give that a go. Use the time in your break to eat, go for a walk, treat yourself to an episode of a series, whatever you want to do. 

So those were 4 tips for working from home. I definitely don't have it all together but I've found that these things have helped me and I hope they help you too. I still have days when I don't do anything at all and that is perfectly OK. Good luck to other university students who may be struggling to adjust. I know we've kind of been neglected during this time, but we've got this! 

If you have any other tips for working from home, share them in the comments to help each other out! 

Thanks for reading,

Have a great day x