Hi I’m Pippa! After becoming part of the GravityLife Team in August, I quickly realised how challenging it is to be as productive in a WFH environment.
Below are the 5 top tips that have helped me be productive in my WFH routine
- Create a work space
- Ensure you cultivate a space that is solely for work purposes. Even if this means you sit in a different chair for work and for relaxation – just make the distinction! By separating the two areas I find it much easier to work when it’s time to work, and relax when it’s time to relax. This has meant that my productivity levels are much more consistent rather than random surges. It’s super important to ensure you get time away from the work environment. It’s super tricky to avoid work encroaching on your personal life when they are in the same physical space – so try the best you can to have some distinction.
2. Plan your breaks
- For example, if you start at 9, tell yourself at 10:30 you can get a coffee. Then schedule lunch. I lay out my day on a notepad with the exact times I can take a break. The luxury of WFH is having a bit more flexibility in terms of timing – that extra 30 minutes in bed is precious! But I find it helps to be quite strict with my day. By giving yourself time to work to its motivation to work as hard as you can for the next 1.5 hours and reward yourself with a break! This also means overall I get more work done cumulatively throughout the day as I am more focussed.
3. Use your breaks carefully
- WFH makes it very tempting to use your breaks in unproductive ways. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy relaxing in my break. But I try to avoid any extra screen time. Sitting down watching TV or at my laptop whilst I eat lunch is screen time that I could avoid. In order to get myself away from the technology, I like to put my earphones in and take myself for a small walk, no matter the weather, to reset my brain and allow myself some time with nature. I often take breaks to have a little PostureKey session in the afternoon – this is usually for around 10 minutes just to take a break from my computer. This makes my day feel more ‘full’ – its not just work work work! This really helps me shift from my ‘work’ mindset to ‘relax’ mindset which has become really useful to improve my productivity.
4. Pretend your going to the office
- We all want to stay in our pyjamas all day, believe me! But getting dressed and ready for the day is super important. This allows you to keep a bit of normality for the day, ensuring you have a structured morning routine. The mentality of actually getting ready for work will inevitably improve your productivity and make you feel more empowered for the day.
5. Meal Prep
- I’ve found that continuing to meal prep whilst working from home has been a real time saver, as it ensures that I can really enjoy my lunch break. By meal prepping, it means my lunch break stays the same as it would at work, again helping with my daily routine and keeping this as normal as possible. It also means I actually get that time to relax and take a break from work. I also try my best to create really yummy dishes – whether this is a fresh soup or some pasta! I find having a nice lunch to look forward to is a nice way to break up the day. The process of meal prep also stops me from procrastinating as a I cook which is something I did at the start of my WFH journey.
WFH is a constant learning curve for me. I’m always finding things that can help my productivity, mental health and physical wellbeing! I would love to hear your tips and tricks for making the most of the WFH lifestyle.
pippa@gravitylife.co.uk
Brand Operations
