You’re stuck at home. Maybe you’re spending some time at work—but maybe you have a whole lot of time to yourself. Whether you’re trying to replace the time spent on your commute, or trying to fill up your entire day, it can be difficult to adjust to an entirely different schedule. Here are some tips for remaining productive even when you’re spending your entire day at home.
1. Create a Schedule
If your life has significantly changed, it’s time to find a new normal and stick to it. Too often, we start letting our schedule fall apart around us. Lunch is now at 4PM. Bedtime is now at 4AM. Make sure that you have a set schedule and a daily routine, or pretty soon the days are going to start blurring into each other. And don’t just create a general routine. Prioritize it.
It’s healthy to go to bed and wake up at regularly scheduled times. Most people don’t thrive on irregular sleep schedules. Consider getting a fitness watch to track the hours that you sleep, or an app that will do it on your phone.
2. Get Enough Exercise
If you start to feel restless and humdrum, it’s probably because you aren’t getting enough exercise. People underestimate the amount of exercise they get in a regular day, from walking around the office, to lifting supplies and equipment. Exercise is good for both your physical and mental health. It will help you sleep better and will help you feel accomplished and productive.
You can exercise at home. Your friends or local fitness facilities may have at-home programs or video services, and you may be able to follow along with classes taught online.
3. Get Out
You may not be able to socialize, but you can get out of the house. Consider going for a walk, while remaining distant from other people. Avoid crowded or public areas. Drive to somewhere remote and take a hike.
It’s been shown that getting out more often can elevate the mood. You’ll feel like you did something with your day, rather than your day just being about passing time. And you’ll also get fresh air and sunshine, the benefits of which can’t be underestimated.
4. Record Your Story
It can be hard to feel productive when you’re entirely isolated. Share what’s going on in your life with your close friends. Ask them for tips and offer them some of your own. Ask if people need help, or if they need advice. The more involved you are, the more you’ll feel like you’re doing something.
You can record what’s going on in your day-to-day life, either for your family, or for future generations. After all, you’re witnessing and adapting to a major historical event, and that’s something that does bear consideration.
5. Tackle Your Household Chores
Are there things that you’ve been meaning to do? Don’t let your house get cluttered just because everyone is always home. Commit to a complete spring clean. Complete that repair job you’ve been putting off, or finish your yard work. There’s probably an entire list of chores that you’ve been waiting “until you had the time” to do. Guess what? Now’s the time!
6. Look Into Charitable Requests
You may find that there are local organizations that need help. Perhaps they need people to call and help fundraise, or maybe they need someone to help them make masks. If you have a 3D printer, you can probably print quite a few useful items. Your neighborhood or city probably has a social media page dedicated to such requests; check it periodically for tasks that you could do to feel motivated and helpful.
7. Learn a New Skill
From work-related skills to hobbies, there are a lot of things you can learn online. There are webinars, online training, and learning services available. Consider getting a certification for something that will help your job, or just learning a hobby like playing piano. Learning a new skill will enrich your life, give you something to focus on, and make you feel like you’ve accomplished something during the day.
It’s difficult to stay productive when you’re at home. It’s easy to curl up with a book, start watching Netflix, or otherwise just putter around. But ultimately, if you feel unproductive, you’re not going to feel good about yourself or the things you’re doing. By being more mindful about your productivity, and planning your days proactively, you can feel as though you’re getting things done even if you’re at home.
Above all, when you want to be productive, you’ve got to get organized! Find out more information by checking out the Get Organized Wizard.
Expat or digital nomad moving to Warsaw, Moscow, Or São Paulo? We are here to help with all specialists and services you need.