5 WAYS TO STAY PRODUCTIVE IN TIMES OF CORONA VIRUS
Homeoffice in time of the Corona Virus
It is not a joke that the Corona Virus has affected all of us. Not to mention, that has generated a lot of panic and stress throughout the world. But just because the Corona virus is here, and we all have to be responsible and stay at home, doesn’t mean we cannot be productive.
With the Corona virus, we can still work from home, and make the best out of this difficult situation. But, how is the best way to stay productive in these quarantine times? In this article, you will find my five secrets to stay productive when you have to turn your home into your office #homeoffice #coronavirus
Working from home with Corona Virus
1) It’s all about the routine
Having a morning routine is the most important step in this situation, where the Corona virus is out there. What do I do? I still stand up at 6 AM I make 1 hour of sport (before I went to the gym) I eat breakfast, I shower and I start my day with the To-do list I did the night before.
For me is not easy to stay focus, because I get very easily distracted, therefore what I like to do, is to make a to-do list every night before I go to sleep. This way I have a very structure plan the next day and I can keep my focus on the things I could not accomplish that day, that I will need to finish the next day.
Because with the Corona Virus, I cannot meet with my clients at this time, my best solutions are phone calls, online meetings and of course emails, to keep track of our projects.
2) Make a schedule
For me is important, to have everything scheduled, and that includes exercise, meals, and breaks) That helps me to set up regular hours for all the activities I want to accomplish in a day.
3) Set up your desk
Although normally my desk is my dining room, I am used to working from any place. Before the Corona virus arrived, I just sit down in a nice coffee, and I make that coffee shop my office for the day. But now, we all have to stay at home and make the best out of this situation.
Not everyone has an extra room at home to make a nice office out of it, so we have to get creative and choose a place from where we want to work. By having a specific workplace at home, you will have that brain signal that associates that particular space with work. What can be? The dining room table, or even your bed with the door closed, important is that you designated that space for your temporary office.
4) Set up your working times
Sometimes is difficult to have control over your working time, when you are working from home. Before you notice, it will be 9 pm and probably you will still be answering emails. It is important that you split your day, in all the activities you want to accomplish, but also find times for a break, and more importantly, find a balance. I normally close my computer at 8 pm, the latest, and find my time to disconnect and relax.
5) Set up the Pomodoro Method
Are you familiar with the Pomodoro method? The Pomodoro method was developed by Francesco Cirillo in 1980 and is a special time management technique. This Time management technique breaks down the work into 25 min parts, with five minutes breaks.
Pomodoro Method
- Prioritize: write down the tasks you want to accomplish in order of importance
- Estimate: the amount of time you need for each task
- Work: on each task without distractions for 25 min, then take a break for 5 min (1 Pomodoro) after four pomodoros take a break between 15-30 min
- Record: the task you accomplished
- Evaluate: take note of how productive you were, and how can you improve your productivity the next day
Extra Tip:
Remember to have a organize home, it will give you a peaceful feeling and you will be more productive. Living in a chaotic home is very stressful, and at this time where we all have to stay home, invest one day into organizing your home, so you can start working more productively!
