Due to the hard and unpredictable times we are living in, many of us are now finding ourselves working from the comfort of our own homes. This social isolation is becoming the new norm. It’s possible that some of you are brand new to the concept of working from home and that you’re discovering that your work days are… a bit less productive than you had anticipated they would be. We’ve all been there at some point or another in our careers as experienced remote workers. It may be challenging to make a swift shift to a life with remote work if you do not already have a well-established structure and routine in place. The following is a guide on how to construct a productive routine that will enable you to make the most of your days spent working from home.

Stick to the Same Routine

Wake Up and Seize the Day

Although you may not be going very far to start your work day, you should nonetheless behave as if you are heading into an office atmosphere even if you won’t be traveling very far. In order to get your workday off to a good start, you need to stick to your usual pattern.

Get up and shine, people! You should get up at the same time you regularly do; contrary to popular belief, you should not take advantage of the fact that you no longer have to commute by sleeping in the additional time you have available. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do on the weekends?

Take a shower and get dressed; you have to go to work. It’s OK; there’s no need to dress to the nines for this meeting. But if you work from home, you should make an effort to avoid staying in your pajamas all day (I know, I know… they’re so nice).

Fuel Your Body

Prepare a meal that will give you a surge of energy and keep your brain functioning normally throughout the day. Cooking at home is a terrific way to take total charge of your health and ensure that you are fueling your body with the correct meals that it needs, which is especially helpful now that you have a little bit more time on your hands than you had before.

Get Your Work Space Ready

Be sure to outfit your new office at the distant location with all of the devices and supplies necessary to do your job in a single location before you start using it. Also, make an effort to keep everything as nice and orderly as you possibly can so that you may reduce the amount of extra stress that you feel at a period of your life that is already quite difficult.

Work As You Normally Would

Perform the usual procedures for punching in and out of work. Maintain as much of a regular demeanor for the remainder of your workday as you possibly can. I am aware that things may, for a short period of time, feel odd and unfamiliar; this is absolutely natural and should be fully anticipated. In light of this, you shouldn’t worry too much if you’re having a hard time. You will eventually become used to the new environment, and as a result, your productivity and work ethic will increase as a result.

Utilize Your Time Wisely

Minimize Distractions

Working from home exposes us to a whole new mountain of potential distractions and temptations that we aren’t generally confronted with or tempted by in the conventional setting of an office. Put these things where you won’t see them and you won’t think about them.

It is advisable to keep your phone on quiet mode or put it somewhere that is out of reach, unless doing so is needed for your work. Due to the fact that this is such a stressful moment, we may feel the want to go for our phones more often in order to check the latest news updates on social media or to check in with the people we care about. During the course of your workday, I highly recommend that you keep up with the news and stay in touch with loved ones so that you can support one another. However, I also recommend that you use your phone in a responsible manner and limit how often you check it. If you discover that your usage of social media is causing or contributing to greater anxiety, you may want to think about deactivating your account or temporarily removing any social media platforms that you use.

Because so many of our commutes are going to be entirely done away with, many of us are going to discover that we have a great deal more free time on our hands. The question now is: how should we use all of those additional minutes (or even hours) in our days?

Find a Creative Outlet

If we are, in fact, practicing social distance with the kind of attention and dedication that it requires, then the majority of us are likely to be quite bored and all by ourselves at this point. What a crazy place we call home we live in. Use this time to develop your creative side, either by yourself or with the company of your self-isolation buddy.

Read books, write books, sketch, paint, reorganize your home, redecorate your living room (using items that are already in your home, of course – after all, we are avoiding shopping trips that aren’t necessary), start planting a garden in your backyard, construct something, cook, and solve puzzles. All of these things are great ways to pass the time. Do whatever it is that gets your blood pumping and keeps your brain active and engaged. And make it a regular habit.

Quite often, we may think to oneself things such as, “If only I had the time to start painting. If only I had the time to prepare a balanced supper for my family each night, I would do that if I could. Now, though, a significant portion of us really do have that time. Make good use of this time while we still have it.

Exercise and Take Care of Your Mental Health

The degree of anxiety is rather high right now. I am one of the many who is feeling overwhelmed right now, and I know many more who are feeling the same way. Despite the possibility that gyms and yoga studios could close, we still have access to an incredible innovation made possible by contemporary technology: YouTube. There is an unlimited amount of different types of fitness videos available on YouTube, ranging from vigorous cardio sessions to relaxing yoga practices.

A growing number of fitness centers and studios are now providing free Instagram live streaming of their group exercise programs. Check with the staff at your neighborhood fitness center to determine whether they are also implementing this change.

Get some fresh air and exercise if you’re not a fan of structured routines. However, continue with prudence and make conclusions that are rational. Only pick places outside where you may safely exercise social separation, and stick to such settings. Take a stroll, ride your bike, run, walk your dog, or take a walk by yourself are all great ways to get some exercise. Take the necessary steps (while maintaining a safe distance from other people) to maintain a physically and mentally active and healthy state for yourself.

It may be quite difficult to make the transition to working remotely while yet preserving the same level of productivity in your job and preserving a healthy balance between your professional life and your personal life. Have patience and make the necessary adjustments to your routine to get to the level of productivity that you want to accomplish. Continue to discuss with your coworkers and friends the aspects of your work-from-home environment that are beneficial to you as well as those that aren’t as helpful. The practice of bouncing ideas off of one another can be really beneficial and is particularly welcomed by those who are absolutely new to maintaining this kind of work-life balance.