Top 10 Tips for Working From Home - How to Work Productively in Uncertainty

Holy smokes, what a crazy world it is out there right now! Stories are pouring in from our friends struggling to modify their homes to accommodate a home office or move their physical services to an online market.

The biggest challenges we hear are:
- Uncharted territory
- Isolation
- Makeshift office spaces
- Shared work environment with kids & partners
- Procrastination / time management
- Disorganization
- Burnout
- Moods: Overwhelm, anxiety & depression
- Self-care

If you are transitioning to a home office, this is for you. If you've recently found yourself unemployed—these are for you too. Together we got this. If you have questions at any time, shoot us an email at [email protected] or leave a comment.

Tip #1 - Create a Great Setup
- Furniture and good posture matters. Definitely google proper mousing technique!

Tip #2 - Create a Deep Work Routine
- For us that's lighting a candle, turning on a certain playlist, closing down email and putting away the phone.

Tip #3 - Healthy Eats
- Scheduled meals help regulate cravings and stress eating. Batch base starches, pre-chop veggies, and a few "lazy" meals.

Tip #4 - Manage Your Transitions
- Energy is drained when doing multiple things at once. Be intentional about work time, exercise, and family/other time. No multi-tasking! Zilch!

Tip #5 - Ride the Productivity Waves
- Have weekly hour goals, not daily. Okay to work "unconventional" hours right now. Forget an 8 hour day. Focus and 3-5 hours is plenty!

Tip #6 - Identify your Top 3 Tasks
- Task one should be the hardest. Avoid opening email until task one is complete. Take a break between each task. Knock out three tasks and call it a day! Anything extra is a bonus.

Tip #7 - Mental Health
- Make mom proud and take your vitamins/supplements. Have your daily medication extended for a 90 day dose instead of 30. Make time for clearing your thoughts.
-

Tip #8 - Peace & Quiet
- Parents...we feel for you! Be gentle on yourself. This is a crazy new situation. Communicate you need quiet time with set 'hours'. Be flexible with morning or evening work and give up on the thought of an 8-hour work day.

Tip #9 - Loose Ends Day
- Batch your running list of little to-do's and batch their completion over one day. Can respond to emails on this day as well. Not all things need done. What can NOT be done and it's fine?
- Resources: https://www.virusanxiety.com/

Tip #10 - Resources
- Slack has a free version that works great for instant chat and sharing files.
- Alo Moves fabulous app for doing yoga or take virtual yoga/fitness classes taught by your locals.
- Zoom or google hangouts/skype.
- Trello great for tracking tasks and work
- Page tracking COVID-19 related grants: https://www.instrumentl.com/covid-19-grants
- Boomerang for regulating when emails come into your inbox: https://www.boomeranggmail.com/

Bonus - Favorite Playlists for Spotify!
Tropical House Instrumental
Focus Beats
Study Instrumentals only Tropical & Chill
The Ultimate Lounge/Chill-Out/ Mellow Playlist
Sunday evening chill
Mellow Lofi chilled lofi hip-hop & instrumental beats
Productivity -Music to Do Office Work To
Instrumental Music Cafe
Beats to think to
EDM Focus
Deep house relax

Download our free guide on working remotely here: https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/sites/31005/downloads/nvhUlwJVQnaAPHzCSdWH_Working_Remotely_Webinar_1_.pdf

Learn more about learning grant writing online here: https://www.learngrantwriting.org/

A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a person perfected without trials. - Seneca

Stay strong community changemakers!