Productivity during a Pandemic
This piece, the one you’re reading right now, took days longer for me to write than it normally would have because I am currently working on the dining table — sorry, my office desk — in my noisy family home, thinking about a million different things. I’m an English Literature graduate. Writing should come naturally to me. Alas, nothing comes naturally to me at the moment and that is okay.
Productivity is practically impossible at the moment. While I’m working on improving the educational experience for University of Leeds students, my mind is miles away. I’m worried about my loved ones, the state of the world and wondering when things will go back to normal?
While we can’t control the current existential dread — that we are all facing at the moment — we can create a balanced routine to help us get through each day. I know that many of you are struggling through deadlines and dissertations. As a student, I could only really work at the library as I got so easily distracted while I was working from home. Let’s be honest, it’s been really difficult adjusting. But creating a balanced routine — not spending too much time working or relaxing but finding that middle ground and finding the time to do both — has really helped me during this period. It’s okay to have a day where you might have more energy to work and another where you might spend it all day in bed. You’re finding balance in a routine that works for you.
Here are my tips on healthy working and healthy breaks to create a balanced routine that works for you!
Healthy Working
- Wake up and go to sleep at the same time during the week. No matter what time you work best, keep it consistent.
- Shower and get dressed (out of your pyjamas). Pack a backpack full of the essentials you need for your day. Don’t forget your water bottle!
- Set up a workstation which is separate from your chill zone and where you sleep.
- Try to avoid long to-do lists and stick to 2 or 3 achievable goals e.g. reading a text for your dissertation and writing the introduction for an essay!
- Start with the most difficult activity of the day.
- Download the StayFocused Chrome extension or the Flora app to help with your procrastination.
Healthy Breaks
Please don’t sit at your workstation all day! It’s so important to take a break away from your screen, to refresh your mind and even more important to treat yourself when you do take one!
- Set a timer — test and trial what works for your concentration level, e.g. 45 mins of work, 15 mins break. I would recommend the Pomodoro method!
- 5–15 minutes break: do some yoga stretches on your chair, wash some dishes, water your plants, pop some Beyoncé on and run around your room.
- Longer breaks: call a friend, do ArtSoc’s daily art challenge, go for your one daily walk.
- Take a proper lunch break! Leave your workstation and switch your mind to something else for 30 mins.
- Set yourself a challenge… I’ll be doing a 15-minute workout every morning to try and wake myself up!
- Do what you love and enjoy, practice self-care and find the time in your day for it. You deserve it!
I hope some of those tips are useful and help you to develop a balanced routine. But don’t forget that it’s okay not to be productive right now! Things are really difficult so be kind to yourselves and take it easy. Good luck with all of your deadlines and assignments. You can do this and you should all be really proud of yourselves for getting through each day and for doing your absolute best!
