Welcome to the wonderful and distracting world of working from home! I have been working from home for a while now, so here are a few tips that have been helpful for me when getting through my to-do list every day. 

Put on real clothes  

The lure of working in your pajamas all day might sound great, but getting ready for the day in the morning has skyrocketed my productivity.  Take a shower and put on real clothes, even if your dog is the only one who will be seeing you for the next few weeks. 

Create a schedule

Every night I write a list of my “must-do” tasks. Then I write out an hour by hour timeline and try my very best to stick to it. Despite how this sounds, I am not actually a very type-A person, but this has been so helpful in staying on task and not trying to do a million things at once. Make sure you schedule in breaks and time to do chores and things that you also want to accomplish. I write everything down: take a shower, do the dishes, give Tucker a nice walk, answer emails, etc.  

Designated workspace  

Create a space for work that is all yours and only for working. This should be a clean and organized space where you can set up a work station. Working from the couch sounds great, but having a space to escape to once work is over is even better. If your workspace and relaxation space is the same, the lines tend to get blurry. 

Accountability partners 

I sometimes have a hard time staying on task if there is no one there to keep me accountable. I used to go to a coffee shop for a few hours, but since I am doing my best to stay in my home at the moment, a great alternative is using Focusmate. This is a great program that gives you a virtual coworker to help you stay on task. If the idea of video conferencing with a stranger isn’t your jam, you can do the same thing with your friends!  Also, if you are self quarantining with your partner or roommate, have them trade phones with you so that you can limit your distractions. 

I hope you are all able to stay productive and enjoy the fun aspects of working from home! Let me know if you have any questions, need podcast/music recommendations, or if you are looking for an accountability buddy. We’re all in this together!