Tips for Staying Productive When Studying and Working from Home

Establish a routine

Now that you’ve had to take classes from home, it can still feel really strange. So, by creating a routine, it’s going to help to ease some of that uncertainty. Have a set time that you wake up and start work. Make sure you schedule in breaks throughout the day and have a set finish time too. Just implementing a routine can erase so much of the uncertainty you might feel right now.

Try “The Rule of Three,” which says that you just have to get at least those three things done today. Make a to-do list and only put the next things you have to do. Once you’ve finished those, create your next list. This will help you to break down your large list of items into smaller, daily tasks.

Stress-free workspace

Confine your workspace to a specific area in your home. Make your space a stress-free zone of quiet and solitude where you can concentrate. If you don’t have a separate room, find an area with minimum traffic flow or a corner of a room off from the main area. Take time to clean up the area you’re planning on working in. Get rid of any clutter and organize – the cleaner and tidier the space is, the easier you’ll find it to focus.

The power of nature

Did you know that plants and flowers can help you to feel more motivated? Adding them in your workspace can help to brighten up the environment. Numerous studies have shown how effective greenery can be within a home office environment.

Use background music

Try using an ambient noise app, like Coffitivity (www.coffitivity.com) to create background noise (like birds chirping or the chatter of a coffee shop). Ambient apps are different from Pandora or Spotify because they don’t have ads and they won’t create distractions.

Practice gratitude

Did you know that practicing gratitude can make a big difference to how you feel? Studies have shown that writing a list of the things you are grateful for, can drastically improve your mood and productivity. By focusing on the things you’re grateful for, it trains the brain to think more positively. You’ll switch your focus from the bad things going on right now, to the good.

Take breaks to get outside

Suddenly being cooped up in the house all day can be detrimental to productivity. It can cause issues with low mood and leave you feeling less motivated to get through your workload. Taking regular breaks and making time to get outside can boost those productivity levels. Spend just 10-15 minutes gardening or reading a book on your patio, balcony, or in your yard to help refresh productivity levels.

Focus on self-care

Exercising regularly is a great way to deal with stress. You should also focus on doing things that relax you each day, such as meditation, reading or listening to music. The more you practice self-care, the less stressed you’ll be and the more focused you will be when you need to study and do homework.

Utilize support that’s available

One of the good things about this uncertain time, is that it is impacting everyone. This means there is a lot of support available. It could be you need to spend more time connecting with friends and family, even if virtually. Or, you may find it useful to share your concerns with groups in online support forums.