7 Habits Of Productivity
Table of Contents
7 Habits of Productivity
Working from home is absolutely amazing! Who doesn’t dream of that? Being able to work at home in my pajamas, in a totally relaxed environment, whenever I want to. Dreams do come true!
But I have learned there are some steps to take to be the most productive while working at home. The drawback to working at home is that it is easy to slack off or be distracted. Here are my 7 habits of productivity!
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Create a Workspace
I can’t stress this one enough, and that is why it is tip number one. Having a dedicated workspace is absolutely essential to productivity. I love the idea of working from my couch in my pajamas. Who doesn’t?! The problem with this is when a space is used for both working and relaxing, it isn’t enjoyable for either one. A desk and good office chair are essential. It doesn’t need to be elaborate or expensive, it just needs to be functional and fit your space.
I know when I leave my office and close that door, I am done with work. When I go sit on the couch to relax and watch TV, that is the task at hand. I can easily focus on each one and not trying to do both at the same time and doing poorly at both.
There is a certain formality to having a dedicated workspace, and that is my favorite part of it. Because it is much easier to be in the right mindset to being productive.
Keep the Workspace Organized and Clean
Organization equals productivity. Repeat that one out loud with me, organization equals productivity. I always keep the middle of my desk completely open, that way I can set my laptop there when it is time to type, or a notepad when it is time to just brainstorm or research writing topics.
Whenever I am in a slump and not feeling productive, I start cleaning. Vacuum the floors, wipe down my desk, dust. A clean work space is a happy work space, and that transfers to me as well. These fabric storage bins are perfect for organization, and a trash can is another essential.
Make it a Comfortable Place
Having a comfortable work space means that you want to spend time there. I have decorated my office, I have my favorite candle so the room smells welcoming to me. Tigger even has a bed in here so that he can spend time with me while I am working.
I find it relaxing to work and hear him snoring next to me. A favorite picture framed on the desk is a great simple option for adding comfort as well. I always bring my favorite coffee with me when I come into the office to work.
Have a Routine and Schedule
Working from home is a double edged sword because I can work whenever I want with no set time to show up or days off. Being my own boss is amazing, up until I’m not in the mood to work or I do it too much and am burnt out. That is why setting a schedule is so important to my productivity.
I tend to be the most productive in the middle of the night. There’s less distractions overall and it just works for me. I get Nathan out the door for work at night, feed Tigger, and then stop and settle for a bit. Once that is over, I go to work. This means I am making my coffee in my french press, I know where my glasses are, and it is time to go to my office. That is usually around 1am.
By 3-3:30am, it is time for a break and a snack. Another tip here is do not eat in your dedicated work space. My thought is that I have a dining room table or a couch for that. No need to dirty up my office to eat, and eating has nothing to do with working. Keep it out of there.
Then I go back to work until 5am. My favorite person on the planet calls me around that time and we catch up on the day. After that I either go back to work or it is bedtime. That is the negotiable time for me, and it really depends on where I am in terms of how much I’ve accomplished already.
I rarely work during the day unless I am just itching to finish a project. Or it is a non-writing portion of a project, such as developing a recipe or a craft project. Something physical, I suppose. These are also portions of my writing that Nathan can help me with. I will happily work on those aspects of it with him, but I refuse to close myself off during the day to write. That is a strict rule for me, that I will not close myself off to write during the day.
Listen to Music
I love my Amazon Echo for this, and it is hands-free. Simply tell it what to play, and I’m listening to whatever type of music suits my mood and helps me be productive. Music also mutes other distractions and outside noises.
I leave my phone out in the living room when I am working, that way it isn’t distracting me. We all know social media notifications can keep a phone vibrating for half an hour straight at times. I set times to focus on my social media later in the day. When I am writing is not that time.
Keep Work and Fun Separate
For years Nathan and I have kept a laptop computer on my coffee table that we use for gaming. Once I started my blog, I just used that same one for working. There are several problems with that. It is easy for me to get distracted going between games and work, especially for me because I leave all my windows open for easy access each time I open the computer. I also tried to multitask, mixing work and fun together. That is just a disaster waiting to happen.
Our laptop still sits on the coffee table for relaxing time. But I’ve added a MacBook to my office now. By having two very different laptops for work and fun, it is so easy to separate the two. Plus my work isn’t being disturbed because Nathan doesn’t use my work laptop. That one is just for me. It can go anywhere with me as well if I want to travel or work somewhere else.
Have the Right Tools
I talked about my MacBook earlier and how useful it is. Having a pen and notepad at my desk is important as well. I also keep my Kindle at my desk for when I am reading books to review in my blog.
7 Habits of Productivity Notes
Working at home is an amazing thing and I am so lucky that I have this option of doing so. The key for me is following the 7 habits of productivity I listed above to be as productive as possible. It is easy to get distracted or lose focus and not be as productive as I need to be because I am in the comfort of my own home and working for myself.
Discussion
Do you follow these 7 habits of productivity yourself? What is the most important habit out of the 7 habits of productivity? Where can you improve? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
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28 Comments
Ros @ ZenHealth
So many great tips! I’m still working on setting up the right workspace and finding the right storage solutions for everything.
Barbara
Great tips! I have worked from home for several years and I totally agree that you need to have a designated workspace that’s tidy. I wouldn’t be able to get my work done otherwise!
Nyxie
I definitely think that a dedicated, clean and tidy workspace is a big thing to encourage productivity! I love to work from bed or the couch but the urge to nap is just too much, especially when you suffer from the chronic fatigue that I do!
Wonderful post! I’ve got this scheduled to pin in a few days!
– Nyxie
Shalvika Patil
Such wonderful tips! Thank you for sharing.
I’m someone who usually likes to work from cafes but I might give ‘creating a workspace’ a shot and see how that goes.
Great article!
Love,
Shalvika
Karen
Great tips! I do agree on the organized and clean workspace as top priorities. I still need to work on my discipline; I tend to take a quick moment to put laundry in or start a meal, that turns into 30-45 extra minutes away. That’s okay sometimes, but I still do it too frequently. Tomorrow’s another day to begin again!
Mashibaby
I love playing music!!
Cynthia
These are great tips! I also work from home and constantly struggle with going from “work” mode to “home” mode. Keeping a schedule will definitely help as well as having a designated working space.
The Prepping Wife
Having the dedicated work space is a huge asset to transitioning between work and home mode! It also makes each more enjoyable. I love closing the door to my office when I am done working or taking a break and knowing I am leaving work in there.
Scott J DeNicola
This is something that is near and dear to me as I have been working from home since 2003 and I love it. I get so much more done at home than I ever did in an office but you have to be disciplined! I agree 100% with everything you’ve listed here especially havings a dedicated space, being organized and sticking to a routine. I workout at 6:00 and I’m at my desk by 7:30 at the latest. 5 days a week. Excellent tips on how to be productive from home.
Luna S
I think having your own workspace/office space is very important for working from home! I think the other tips are great as well. Thanks for writing this up!
Ashley Sugimoto
This is actually so amazing! I have been struggling myself to set up a space that is separate from home in my home so that I can work efficiently. It’s very hard. I’ve definitely found some of these very useful in my own home work space!
Ashley | One Journey Away
Oh goodness me your cat sitting in the drawer! I don’t work from home but I imagine having a dedicated work space would be greatly beneficial.
The Prepping Wife
Tigger loves that drawer! I created that from an ugly old nightstand that is at least as old as I am. Lol. I wanted to toss it when I was gutting the room that became my office and my husband wouldn’t let me. So I gave both of us 30 days to find some use for it, and it turned out I was the one who did. It was a ton of fun to make as well as the blanket inside for Tigger, and he loves it. I leave the door open so he can come and go when I am working, and he knows if he is going to be in my office that he needs to be in his bed. I did that so he had a place to be and wasn’t in my way. I workout in my office too. Try doing a plank with a cat sniffing your face! That is where the bed comes in handy so he can relax and not be in my way. I love that he wants to spend time with me in the office and has his own space.
Rhema
This is a really great post. You definitely reminded me that I need to separate play from business. I went out and bought a desk to create myself a little work place and it’s accumulated books and water bottles 😯 soo, it’s time to organize and get to work!
The Prepping Wife
Mine has a bunch of books on it right now too! Lol. I went through all the books I want to read and review in my blog, and they are in a pile on the desk. I have some in a storage bin and some just in a pile. There are too many!
Rachel Downing
This is so helpful and so true!
I’m much more productive sat at my desk with a candle lit than I am if I’m sat on the sofa.
I can’t listen to music whilst I work though, I get so distracted!
BestieTalks
Great article! Both myself and my husband work from home here and there and we both have designated working areas. I also agree that having a clean and organized area is SO important when it comes to being able to focus and being productive! I also have to actually take a little time to put myself together a little bit. If I go to my workspace in too comfy off clothes etc then I find myself being lazy.
Great tips!
Minifoxychicky
Great tips, I am very big on organisation of my house but with everything going on atm life is a bit chaotic. I have boxes of stuff to clear out while at the same time trying to find space for stuff since our kitchen is currently in shambles. I almost always listen to music when writing, cleaning, cooking or just because I can, music is life and gives me the energy I need to get through the day.. that and plenty of coffee.
Swagata Sen
Some of these tips are really great! While we enjoy a greater amount of flexibility when work from home, sometimes motivating ourselves to work to our fullest potential could be a challenge! I think one needs to be really organized and focused in order to be working from home every day. Thanks for the useful post!
Megan Elizabeth
I needed to read this! I’m currently based at home but do tend to get distracted, so I’ll be using some of these tips!
Lyosha
I work from home too and oh you can post it million times! i am absolutely agreed on your tips, it so helps me to keep on going with productive work
Holly
It’s so interesting to see someone else’s schedule. We both work from home & you’re so right about having separate work & living space!
Right now, my work space is in our bedroom, but I’m having an office built in the garden & can’t wait to move out there!
Iris Findlay
Woo, I wish I had this blog post when I first started blogging! My back was hurting from being crouched over in bed. Thanks for the suggestions!
Stephanie S
I have always thought it was so important to have an organized work space. I always make sure that I have everything in place. And I think it is important to have a space that is also comfortable. Your list is great, and I really love these ideas. I just bought a new candle, and added a few songs on a playlist. –I’ll definitely take these two things into my work space soon.
Laura Linklater
Ah I so understand the difficulties of working from home! I have a candle that I always light before I start working. It just helps me to delineate my time. Great ideas here, Thank you x
Nkem
Great tips! I totally agree with keeping fun and work separate, and even to intersperse work with fun now and again.
Britt K
Great tips! I’ve been working from home for approximately 4 years now and I don’t think I could do it without my music playing and a cup of my favourite coffee in hand each morning. The biggest distraction, I find, is that I see the housework all around me that needs to be done. It’s tempting to take a ‘break’ from work to go do the laundry, vacuum, etc. because you see it just staring back at you, needing to be completed. Having my own office space means that I can shut the door and shut the housework out lol
Subhashish Roy
It has been five years now that I have been partially working from home. Only when delivering my training programs which is my other occupation. Initially though it was a great feeling soon I realized that I was delaying getting down to my work. It’s then that I got back to my routine of my years of professional work. I do love taking short breaks for my coffee. Very well thought out tips which are so critical.