Do you struggle with staying focused and managing your time while working from home? Learn how to be more productive at home with these 10 genius productivity and working from home tips!
Being productive when working from home can be hard. Being productive in general is challenging, especially when working from home. There are so many more distractions, which makes it hard to get anything done. I know this is something a lot of people struggle with, myself included!
When I first started working from home, back in March of 2020, I had the hardest time getting into a routine and sticking to a work schedule. I’d wake up five minutes before I had to start working, brush my teeth mid-day and shower around lunch time. By the end of the work day, I would feel like I didn’t truly accomplish anything.
Everything changed when I started implementing good productivity habits into my life. I started going to bed earlier and at the same time every night so I could wake up feeling refreshed in the morning. I created a clean and comfortable workspace and set boundaries between work life and home life. And I stuck to my scheduled work hours to build consistency.
To learn how you too can completely changed your productivity habits, keep reading! These ten productivity tips will allow you to take back control of your daily to do list, accomplish more in less time, achieve better work-life balance, and have more free time to do the things you actually love!
Grab my free daily planner printable to organize and prioritize your daily to do list!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase from one of my links. Thank you for supporting Sunday Mimosas Blog 🙂
Keep reading to learn how to be more productive at home.
1. Make Your Bed Every Morning
First thing you should do every morning is make your bed. It’s a simple task that will give you a small sense of accomplishment as soon as you wake up.
Especially when working from home, making your bed and keeping a tidy work environment is extremely important. You’ll find that you’ll be in a much better headspace and feel much more productive and creative.
2. Time Block Your Whole Day
One of the best ways to increase your remote work productivity is to time block your day. If you haven’t heard of time blocking, it’s an awesome time management technique where you divide up all the tasks you need to complete into time segments on your calendar. You dedicate a certain amount of time to each task, and only work on the task during that time block.
Time blocking gives you more structure to your day, which will allow you to get more done + stay focused for longer! I’ve found that when I work from home, having structure and a set work schedule is key to being more productive. Without it, not many items would get checked off my to do lists!
3. Utilize Google Calendar
Am I the only one who JUST started taking advantage of Google Calendar? It’s an awesome productivity resource and it’s completely free! You can create different calendars for different categories of your life and then color code them for easy organization. I have separate calendars for Instagram, blog tasks, reminders, my virtual assistant work, general tasks and appointments.
Then, as I mentioned before, I time block my entire day. At the beginning of each week, I’ll fill in my calendar with the important tasks, meetings and phone calls I know I have to complete on certain days. Each morning, then I’ll review the calendar and my tasks for the day + update, change or add additional tasks. This is a super easy way to stay on top of your to do list and make sure everything is getting completed!
4. Create a Daily Routine (and stick to it!)
Creating a successful, daily routine that you can stick to is important. Set your alarm for the same time every morning, do your morning routine – read all about creating a healthy + productive morning routine here, eat a healthy breakfast, take regular breaks, eat lunch at the same time, etc. When you start doing the same tasks at relatively the same time every day, they’ll become habits. Read this book if you’re looking to build a new habit!
Trust me, having a set routine and structure to your day will make your working schedule flow seamlessly and allow you to get more done in the day!
5. Create a dedicated work space in your home
I have to argue that this might be the most important productivity hack! Make sure you have a dedicated “work” space – somewhere in your home that’s not your bed, living room couch, or your kitchen table. Your workspace should be a clean and organized area with no distractions. This could be a dedicated home office, a separate room in your house (I currently use our apartment’s second bedroom), or a desk in your bedroom.
Wherever you choose to set up your office space, just make sure you only use that area to work. This allows for better separation between your personal life and professional life, which can be hard to master when you work from home.
6. Work in smaller increments
Staying focused on one task and working in increments of 25-35 minutes is extremely beneficial and allows you to maximize your time. When I work in smaller time chunks, I find that I’m more motivated to get the task done because I know I only have 25-35 minutes to work on it. It’s a simple productivity tip, but you’ll find that it’s so beneficial! By setting a time limit for a shorter amount of time you will actually get more done by the end of the day.
You can either set a timer on your phone or watch and then get to work! Make sure you don’t check your phone or open unnecessary tabs on your computer during this time. This should be uninterrupted work time with no distractions. When the time is up, take a short 5-minute break, check your phone, walk around, whatever you need to do, and then set another 25-35 minute timer.
This is also known as the Pomodoro Technique, a proven method to boost productivity!
7. Write Everything Down!
So many things pop into our heads throughout the day and if we don’t write them down, we’ll most likely forget about them. This is why having a notebook dedicated to notes or ideas is so great! I always have a notebook nearby me when I work, for this specific reason! You could even use a Google Doc or an app on your phone to track ideas as they come to you, but I prefer pen and paper!
If you find that you’re always trying to remember that one idea that came to you earlier in the day.. Then you need to start writing everything down!!
8. Stop Trying to Multitask
There’s a time and place for multi-tasking, but most times you’ll find you can accomplish more when you focus your attention to one task at a time. Focusing your mind on one item, allows you to narrow in and think more clearly and creatively on the task at hand. This allows you to complete the task more efficiently.
I know it can be hard to refrain from multi-tasking, especially when working from home, but just try it! Time block your entire day and then work on the designated task during its assigned time block. You’ll be amazed at how productive you’ll be!
9. Turn your phone on airplane mode
Your phone is most likely your biggest distraction when it comes to getting work done. I know it is for me! I used to just flip my phone over and tell myself not to look at it, but that never works. Now, I’ll turn my phone on airplane mode while I’m working and it’s been a game changer.
When your phone is on airplane mode, you won’t receive all the social media notifications, texts or alerts from apps, which will allow you to stay on track and complete your tasks in less time.
Utilize your short breaks and lunch time to check your phone instead!
10. Use your breaks to get outside and move!
Whether you’ve got a whole hour or just 15 minutes to take a break from work, get outside and move your body! I always come back so refreshed and ready to tackle what’s next on my to-do list! A lot of times, working for long periods of time with no breaks causes you to be less productive.
Try to utilize your full lunch break to step away from your computer screen, get some fresh air and let your mind relax. It’ll do wonders for your productivity and your mental health.
Guarantee it will put you in a better mood too!
Productivity Resources
Here are a few of my favorite productivity books, podcasts, videos and resources that have completely transformed my life! These will no doubt inspire, motivate and push you to become your best, most productive self.
Book Recommendations
- Atomic Habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones
- The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks Than Others Do in 12 Months
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- The Power of Habits: Why we do what we do in life and business
- 52 Small Changes for the Mind: Improve Memory * Minimize Stress * Increase Productivity * Boost Happiness
Podcast Recommendations
- Optimal Living Daily – a podcast by Justin Malik on personal development, productivity, minimalism, finance + more!
- Design Your Dream Life – Natalie Bacon teaches you how to achieve all your goals, make more money, change your mindset + live your best life!
- Often Ambitious – Lindsey and Erica share actionable tips on how to achieve your dream life and become successful by sharing a behind the scenes look at what it takes to build a brand, start a business, make an impact + more.
Free Resources
- Daily To do List Printable
- Monthly + Quarterly Goal Setting Worksheet
- YouTube! Here are my favorite productivity channels – muchelleb, Amy Landino + Erin May Henry
This post shared how to be more productive at home for remote workers and how to create successful daily habits for a productive day!
Other Posts You May Like:
- 7 Life-Changing Productivity Hacks
- Ultimate Guide to Goal-Setting: How to Achieve All your Goals
- 50 Simple Habits to Improve your Life Immediately
