How To Stay Productive While Working From Home

I was just talking to my girlfriend who works from home about this topic yesterday and it had me thinking that I should really talk about it on the blog for any of you that find yourself in a rut when you’re at home and easily distracted while desperately needing to get some work done.

Because I work from home I know all to well the struggle of getting distracted and not staying on task. I always like talking to others to find out what works for them and decided to share with you guys any tips I’ve learned along the way.

DON’T STAY IN YOUR PAJAMAS
When working from home, one thing I’ve definitely learned has been to make SURE to change out of my pajamas. I always wake up, have coffee/breakfast and then change into something different than my pajamas. Granted it’s not always a really fancy outfit — sometimes it’s just my gym clothes but the fact that I took off my pjs and put something else on means that I am ready to start my day.

SEPARATE SPACES
If possible, try to have a room dedicated to working. I turned one of my rooms into my office so in essence, when I enter the room I consciously know that I’m there to do work. It really changes the state of mind from I’m at home to I’m at work, if that makes sense.

KEEP YOUR SPACE TIDY
To me, there’s nothing more distracting than a messy, unorganized workspace. I always try to keep the room I’m working from clean, organized and tidy (especially my desk). This way my mind doesn’t wander to needing to clean up or feeling overwhelmed. It definitely helps me be more productive.

HAVE A NOTEPAD NEAR
I definitely love to use my iPhone for most things but there is something about needing a notepad always nearby to jot down ideas for blog posts, projects, to do lists, or anything that comes to my mind. If I didn’t have a notepad near I probably would forget half the things I needed to do in my life.

GIVE YOURSELF BREAKS
I go absolutely stir crazy if I sit in front of a computer for 8 hours straight. They say for every hour you work you should have a 15 minute break. I can’t say I follow that rule completely but I definitely make sure to take a break a few times during the day. If I sit at the computer too long I start to go crazy, my eyes hurt and I stress even more. I really do improve the quality of what I’m doing if I allow myself some time to breathe.

BE CAREFUL WITH TV/MUSIC
To be honest, I cannot listen to music while working. I know plenty of people who can but I absolutely CANNOT. If I do have anything playing in the background its more just a comfort thing because I like a little noise around so I’ll usually have the volume so low that you know there is a noise but can’t make anything out. May sound weird but just know that about everything will influence your mood. Make sure you surround yourself with things that will put you in the best frame of mind for what you are trying to accomplish.

HAVE A GOOD BREAKFAST/LUNCH
I always become WAY more productive when I’ve had a really great breakfast or lunch. The times I’ve skipped eating a meal I am instantly irritable and can’t focus. I know, sometimes its easy to “forget” to eat when you are super busy at home but always make an effort to get a good meal in because it will make you 10x more productive in the end.

DON’T ALLOW WORK TO CONSUME YOUR LIFE
Ok.. Here is a tip I desperately need to listen to myself. I have THE HARDEST time with this and all my family members try to remind me over and over again. It definitely is easier said than done when working from home but make sure you set limits for the amount of time you work.

With all that said and done I hope you guys found these little tips helpful and as I said earlier I’d absolutely LOVE to hear some of your tips as well!! It’s always so motivating to see the rest of you boss babes doing something amazing!

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