How to be productive when working from home

Working from home is entirely different to working in an office. At work, you're continuously interrupted by direct questions or background noise. But just because you’re home now it doesn’t mean that your body will suddenly know how to work in longer, uninterrupted chunks of time. Work in realistic, short blocks and don’t beat yourself up for needing time out. If it’s a task that you know you can focus on for a while, set a longer time window. If you know it’s something you really struggle with, then set a shorter window. Oh, and break up these 'work sets' with 'rewards' (see below).

The late Karl Lagerfeld famously said “Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants.” Lol, wow. Admittedly we are not suggesting that you avoid wear sweatpants, as that would be wild, but there is something to be said for giving some thought to what you put on each morning. If it is a particularly cold day, wear something soft and cosy. Feeling flat? Wear a print, a bright colour or get dressed up (for your commute to the snack cupboard). Clothes have a huge effect on how we feel. So, stay on top of your laundry and be experimental with what’s in your wardrobe.

It’s easy to lose track of what time of day it is when you don’t have the reminder of colleagues to keep you on track. The golden rule remains though: don't skip or work through your lunch break. Use the hour to give your mind (and eyes) a break by doing something that doesn't require a screen. Read, colour-in, nap, yoga, run, meditate, walk or do a puzzle. You will be much more productive in the afternoon and you will also have something vaguely interesting to tell people on your next video call.

Are you addicted to TikTok/Instagram/Twitter/YouTube/Facebook? Yep, it’s exhausting isn’t it? Being 'social' can be extremely distracting, especially while you are trying to create a work environment at home. Try moving your phone into another room or hidden somewhere so that you actively have to go and get it rather than mindlessly picking it up. Also, go in to the 'Settings' and set a time limit on your social media activity so that you can keep an eye on it. Once you've reached your daily limit, you'll be blocked from all apps. You will be shocked how many hours a week you spend looking at cat gifs...

Even if you’re in the comfort of your home and solely communicating with your colleagues through video calls, chat groups and emails, you can still have stressful days. Start the day by showering or, even more decadently, having a bath with your book a cup of tea. Smelling nice and feeling fresh will give you a more positive outlook on your whole day. Wear perfume and use those body creams you never have time to apply.

We all know that scene in Groundhog Day when Bill Murray punches Ned in the face. There is a fear of every day feeling the same and, if you keeping working from the same, loooong 'To Do List' things can quickly feel overwhelming and demotivating. Start a new list at the beginning of each day and if things carry over from the previous day then you can always write them down again. If you have huge tasks that feel like they could be broken down in to smaller tasks, list them separately. This will give you a greater sense of achievement at the end of each day rather than looking at the list and feeling like you have achieved nothing.

Lockdown means that we’ve taken a bizarre, inordinate pleasure in things we never thought we would. Cleaning out a cupboard? Amazing. Doing three laundry cycles in a day? I am DOWN with that. In fact I might do four. We have also become very engaged in the range of snacks available when we have access to a fridge 24/7. Plus, rewatching our favourite TV shows has never felt so satisfying. Try breaking up your chores by treating yourself to a few of these simple pleasures.

When you're working at home the working day and evening can easily blend in to each other but a way to create a clear start and finish to each part is to pack away your desk at the end of your work day. If you’re working from a laptop, try putting it where you can’t see it and file your papers away into a folder that's stored out of sight. Yep, the 'out of sight, out of mind' mantra rings true here. Creating a 'wind down' routine is equivalent to grabbing your coat on and saying 'bye' to your work buds back in the office.

Do you live in a share house, or with a person who speaks inordinately loudly on video calls? If so, it's worth looking at how you can create your own peace and quiet. Our suggestion: noise-cancelling headphones. Not only will they make it easier for you to concentrate, they're also super useful on public transport and plane journeys (once we are able to fly to exciting places again).

Being cooped up in your home all day can be a lonely thing, especially if you live alone. Try putting a podcast on in the background so that you have the company of other voices, just as you would in a busy office. Try one of these fab free podcasts or our brand spankin' new sex and relationships podcast All The Way With.

If you’re on a video call where you're expected to listen but don't actually need to participate use the time to tick off a mindless chore, like folding your clean laundry, so you’re killing two birds with one stone. You’ll be amazed what you can achieve in 30 mins or an hour. And it feels a lot more productive than sitting in the one place and playing on your phone if your mind starts wandering...

Set a schedule and stick to it. Start your working day at the same time and try not to let it leak in to the evening. If you are continuously finishing late it could be because you aren’t structuring your time properly. If you have a tendency to be a workaholic then set yourself an alarm to signal the end of the day. Another good way to avoid overworking is to check-in with your 'To Do List' an hour before you’re due to finish so you can reassess and tick off anything that you don't want to carry to the next morning.

Coffee hasn’t quite hit the spot? Feeling a bit blah? If you would usually listen to uplifting or distracting music on your commute, keep it going. Music is a mood-booster and, while you can't break out into song and dance in the office, at home you totally can.