Working from home has become the new normal for many during the current pandemic. While working from home undoubtedly has many benefits, it can be challenging to get into a new routine where you stay focused and maintain high productivity levels.
We’re all prone to a bit of procrastination whether we’re in the office or at home, but it’s important to ensure you are getting your work done and positively contributing to your team.
If you need some help getting your procrastination in check at home, we’ve put together some useful tips below.
To ensure you can hit the ground running first thing in the morning, make a list of what projects you want to work on the following day at the end of each workday. Having a to-do list ready to go, will help you to get focused, stay organised and achieve more.
Ticking tasks off your list as you go will make you feel good and help keep you feeling motivated.
Many of us have a tendency to put off the tasks that we’re not looking forward to. It could be a task that’s challenging, tedious, or a potentially awkward phone call. This task then weighs on us all day and sometimes even carries over into the next.
Instead of being filled with dread for the whole day, get these types of tasks done first thing in the morning. Then you can relax and properly focus on the projects you find more enjoyable.
When you really want to focus on a set project for a few hours, block the time in your calendar and turn off any notifications that will be distracting. The world isn’t going to end if you don’t check your emails for an hour.
Be Focused – Focus Timer is a great app that you can use to boost your focus for 25 minutes at a time. It lets you know when you have been working for 25 minutes and then you have a 5-minute break (the Pomodoro technique). This is particularly handy if you’re struggling to stay focused on one task.
We need regular breaks throughout the day to help us recharge and regain focus. Getting away from your screen to make a drink or get some fresh air for 5-10 minutes can work wonders!
Think of little ways that you can reward yourself after completing a task or set period of focused work. Here are some examples of rewards:
Your small rewards should be what you enjoy and what helps to motivate you. Leave us a comment below if you have any additional suggestions for how to stop procrastinating.
