Working From Home? 6 Tips to Keep You Focused and Productive

Working from home can be a serious adjustment. We can feel like we're on the clock 24/7, and our boundaries between work and personal life tend to become blurry during this transition. Here are my top six tips to keep you focused and productive, so that you can fully enjoy the benefits and privilege of working from home.
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Working from home can be a serious adjustment. We can feel like we're on the clock 24/7, and our boundaries between work and personal life tend to become blurry during this transition.

When I took my leap into entrepreneurship, I was so excited and passionate about my work that I couldn't distinguish between work-time and personal time. I would jump out of bed at 7 in the morning, then race over to my computer in my pajamas and start working, and would not stop until it was almost time to go to bed. I became a hermit for a stint!

Needless to say, that wasn't a very sustainable cycle, so I wanted to share with you what I've learned about staying inspired, focused, and productive while working from home and still being able to have a beautiful, connected life outside of work.

Here are my top six tips to keep you focused and productive, so that you can fully enjoy the benefits and privilege of working from home!

1. Time Block Your Tasks

Put similar tasks together in time blocks in your Google Calendar. This way, if something changes, you can just move the time blocks around and still get all your work done within the week! Working from home is a gift that allows you to be more flexible, so let's use that to our advantage so we can feel even more abundant with our time. Be sure to take a 60-second break in between tasks to be present and celebrate the work you've done before moving onto the next task.

2. Move Your Body

Set a timer for yourself to get up and move -- go outside, unfurl your yoga mat, or jump on a mini-trampoline (rebounder). The mini trampoline also serves as a great massage for your lymph system to help you gently detoxify your body.

3. Prep Your Meals on Sundays

I love doing this! It's become such a nice ritual for me. I turn on Netflix or a great Spotify playlist, or an Audiobook while I cook. This way, you won't have to take a 1-2 hour break from your work to cook your meal and enjoy it. Instead, assembling your delicious meals will feel decadent yet simple. Choose nourishing foods that will help keep you focused and energized. The easiest tip for how to do choose the best energizing foods is to shop on the outside perimeter of the grocery store, instead of entering into the middle aisles that are home mainly to processed foods that offer less nutritional bang for your buck.

4. Schedule Your Social Time

When working from home, it can be so easy to feel like a hermit, devoid of human contact. Set up weekly date nights with girlfriends, your significant other, and other groups of friends that light you up. Add networking events to your calendar. Schedule in-person meetings, or meet a friend for lunch as often as possible.

5. Be Good to Yourself

Practice radical self-care on a regular basis. Dry brush your skin, or use a facial mask. Schedule massages, Reiki, or Acupuncture during your week. Buy some fresh flowers to put in your workspace. Keep your space clean. The way we treat ourselves directly influences the quality and creativity of our outputs in our work, and the quality of how we show up in every area of our lives.

6. Find Inspiring Places

Work in the room of your home that has the most natural light. Find coffee shops, libraries, or communal workspaces that feel inspiring to you so you avoid cabin fever. If it's summer time, work outside! Why not? (After all, you can do that now that you work from home!)

How do you stay focused and productive while working from home? Share in the comments so we can continue the conversation!

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