11 Productivity Tips & Techniques for Working From Home
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If you've been following along for a while, then you know I'm a huge fan of math and love applying it to the online world of digital marketing. To go hand in hand with math, I'm a sucker for productivity. I love a good productivity hack, morning routine YouTube video, or paper planner designed to maximize productivity.
When it comes to entrepreneurship and working from home, we're always looking for ways to do more while stressing less, especially when there's a worldwide pandemic wreaking havoc right outside your front door.
So today I've gathered my best and favorite productivity tips that I either use currently, have used in the past, or really want to start using. This blog post isn't your average "don't look at your phone in the morning" or "shut off electronics an hour before bed". Nope, it's tried and true techniques that I use to maximize my workflow.
5 Productivity Techniques
The 2 minute rule - this rule simply states that if you can get something done in two minutes or less to do it ASAP instead of pushing it off. That annoying email you don't want to send? You can write and send it in less than two minutes. Picking up the dirty sock pile on your floor? I certainly hope that would take you less than two minutes. Making that pesky phone call? Get it done in two minutes. This principle is based on the fact that those little tasks you keep procrastinating are taking up brain space and adding one more thing to your stress levels. By getting those little tasks out of the way, no matter how painful they may seem, you can get on with your large daily tasks that require your complete focus without the nagging at the back of your mind. I personally use this most in regards to cleaning up the little things around the house. I know that making my bed, picking up anything on my floor, getting all my empty water glasses and Bubbly cans off my desk will mean that I can perform at my best throughout my workday.
The Ivy Lee method - If only this man was still alive today, he could teach us a thing or two about productivity! His method simply states that every night before you go to bed, write down six things you want to complete the following day, prioritizing them from most to least importance. Then when you wake up in the morning, start on that first task and don't move on until you've completed the task. Once it's complete, move on to the next task and repeat the process until you're done working for the day. Anything you didn't finish, add it to your list for the next day. The key to success in this method lies in its simplicity. Things don't need to be complex to work well. After all, water is made up of just two elements and yet essential for human existence. James Clear also makes a great point when it comes to the Ivy Lee method. Forcing yourself to choose just six things to focus your attention on makes it necessary for you to focus. He wisely said, "if you commit to nothing, you'll be distracted by everything." That's pretty hard hitting, eh?
The Pomodoro Technique - I use this method when I'm really struggling to stay focussed and not pick up my phone while I'm working. I get serious FOMO around social media and can find myself reaching for my phone to check Instagram nearly every 15 minutes, so I use the Pomodoro method when my concentration levels are ultra-low. All you have to do is pick a task you want to focus on, set a timer for 25 minutes, and get to work. Once the timer goes off, you take a five minute break. Now once that timer goes off, you get back to work for another 25 minutes. For every four pomodoro timers you complete, take a 15-30 minute break. This technique works because it breaks large and daunting tasks down into smaller, more bite-size chunks. Cirillo, the man who created the method, suggest writing down everything that did manage to interrupt you during your pomodoro session so that you can work to remove those distractions the next time around.
Time-blocking - Ok, I'm pretty late to jump on this train. I've tried time-blocking with ClickUp's day view, but it just didn't work for me. One week I was feeling super overwhelmed and not confident that I would meet my end-of-the-month deadlines at all. So I opened Google Calendar, took a deep breath, and set time aside for every task on my to-do list for the week. And guess what? I was able to fit everything into my schedule, realistically, and no longer felt stressed that I was going to lose all my amazing copywriting clients. I set my calendar to the weekly view and switch up the colors on my calendar so that I can see everything I need to get done for the week at once and it's not too hard on my eyes, since the colors are visually pleasing. By why does it actually work? The Timely blog said it best, "time blocking maps out controlled spaces to ensure each task actually takes place."
Set less time aside for each task - to go hand in hand with what we talked about in the last tip, setting time aside for each tasks ensures that it will get done. The catch here is to lower the amount of time it takes for you to complete a task. It seems like we have to account for two hours when we suspect a task will take us one. This principle works the opposite - if you think a task is going to take you one hour, give yourself 45 minutes to get it done. This way you'll be motivated to narrow down your focus and eliminate distractions so that you can complete the task in less time. There's a fine line here - you don't want to compromise quality or not do a thorough job because you're going too fast. The key here is to work efficiently, because chances are, you can complete more work than you think in less time than you would've thought.
While these aren't necessarily your average productivity tips, they are a great and simple way to get important tasks done each day while not allowing work to cut into personal time.
Simplicity is Key.
None of the techniques we've talked about are complicated. That's because the key to success when it comes to effectively managing your time and feeling productive each day is to keep things simple. Like I mentioned, humans tend to love complex things, and that can get us into trouble. To manage our complexities, we need simple systems. Routines and habits allow us to maximize productivity in ways that our complex lives would struggle to maintain if there were no systems in place.
Daily Practices to Increase Productivity
While this article focused mainly on productivity techniques to get more done everyday, there are simple and more common principles that I utilize to compliment these techniques. Here's a list of what I do:
Declutter often - I am not a fan of stuff. About every quarter, I go through my closet, desk, and storage to get rid of anything I don't need to no longer use so that I can keep things simple instead of amassing more material possessions.
Keep your workspace organized - when my desk is messy, it's a direct reflection of how I'm feeling mentally. A clean and organized desk allows me to also clear my brain and focus my attention on the work I need to get done during the day.
Use a habit tracker - I was doing a lot better with this one towards the beginning of the year, but the key to successfully reaching your goals is creating habits that allow you to take daily action that moves you closer to your goals. I keep a habit tracker on my desk and try to mark off every day that I've successfully accomplished a task that will get me closer to my goals.
Make your bed - like I've mentioned, a clean space means a clean mind for me. I live at home with my parents and sister, so my bed and desk are in the same room. Actually, I'm looking right at my bed as I work. A made bed allows me to feel less overwhelmed and frees up brain space that would otherwise be spent thinking "I need to make my bed" or "wow my room is a mess." These little thoughts lead to fatigue, which leads to a lack of motivation and in the end, burnout.
Get dressed everyday - when you get dressed to "go to work", even if you morning commute is just a few feet from your bed to your desk, you maintain a sense of control and order in your life. I totally agree with the mantra to "dress for success." Getting dressed helps you feel nice and put together! So while this little method may be a way to trick your brain into being more productive, it personally works for me!
Don't make a habit of working from your bed - just like your brain experiences a mental switch from "sleep" to "work" when you get dressed for the day, the same is true when you choose where to work. Each space has a designated function, and when those lines start to blur, your brain gets confused. When you're working from the same place you binge Netflix, you're damaging the mental association you've already built between your bed and sleeping.
Working from home can mean increased freedom, but with that comes an increased need for boundaries and self-control. So while it may seem like an infringement on your freedom to not allow yourself to work from your bed or work in your pajamas, doing so will help set you up for success as you work from home!
