1. Set The Tone for Success

• Build a permanent work space. Whether it’s an office or a desk, invest in it. Buy quality technology and comfortable office furniture. Keep it neat!

  • One of our favorites is this standing desk attachment – it easily folds flat so you can keep it on your desk and sit, but then lift it up when ready to stand.

• Set an alarm and create a morning routine that supports you in focusing for the day.

• As tempting as it is, don’t work in your pjs! Get dressed like a normal person and we promise you’ll be more productive.

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2. Get Motivated

• Create a vision board for daily inspiration to keep you excited! (Bonus points if you can hang it up near your desk!)

• Don’t stop working if it’s a hard day. Train yourself to do some work anyway and push through!

  • Maybe give yourself a little reward – If I continue working through X, I’ll finish a little earlier and get to do Y

• Commit to more by making lists of three. The first list has three things you will do today; the second is three things you’d like to get done but aren’t essential; the third is things that need to be done at some point.

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3. Boundaries Matter

• Set work hours and stick with them to avoid “work creep”.

• Discover your peak productivity periods and center your working hours around them. Are you a morning person or evening person?

• Avoid family, friends, and pets. Communicate expectations with anyone who will be home with you–work time is work time–you’ll have time to connect later. Don’t let your friends stop by.

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4. Get Organized

• Schedule and structure your day like you would at an office. Stick to it.

• Make to-do lists and use post-its, planners, or digital apps to keep track of your tasks.

• Use a productivity app to track the amount of time you spend per task and minimize distractions.

• Keep everything digital and cloud-based so that you can easily collaborate or work from different spaces.

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5. Avoid Distractions

• Stay out of the kitchen. Be intentional about your snacking and breaks.

• Don’t work in front of a TV (unless the background noise helps you focus better).

• Stay off social media (unless it’s your job) and even then, block aside specific times for engagement within your calendar

• Match your music to the task on hand (We love lofi beats for writing and 90s hip hop for emails) or buy a noise-canceling headset. You know what works best for you!)

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6. Take Care of Yourself

• Set aside time to exercise and move. It’s terrible for your body to be stuck in the same position for hours on end. Sometimes I even work in yin-yoga positions (like fire log or shoelace)!

• Be thoughtful about your meals and mealtimes. Incorporate breaks throughout your day and snack healthily.

• Operate on a rewards system. For example, take a ten-minute break to go cuddle with a pet after completing a difficult task or deadline.

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