5 ways to stay productive during COVID-19.
Yes, we’ve all been slacking these days; but no more!
For those that are unemployed during these trying times, we all have something in common when it comes to being stuck at home: staying motivated to be productive while having all this extra time. I get it; it’s easy to get into the seemingly innocent cycle of waking up, eating, applying to a few job positions, relaxing, and going to bed. It’s also frustrating when we want to be productive, or at least know that we should.
We have thoughts, like “OK, tomorrow I want to wake up, have a healthy breakfast, and start working on learning some new skills (or refreshing on old ones) to spruce up my resume.” Well, tomorrow comes, and… We know what happens next. So, without further adieu, here are some simplified ideas to help bring you back to a more productive schedule; but keep in mind: it’s OK to have a little more relaxation time during this quarantine. We’re not here to turn you into workaholics at home and to risk burnout over a week or two. We want this schedule to be a permanent fix; not something that’s temporary.
1. Wake up at a reasonable time.
This is one of the toughest tips, for sure. However, I’m not suggesting that you wake up and act like you have to start at 9am like your previous job. No, let’s be more reasonable and lenient. After all, one of our main goals is to prevent feeling burned out. Mental health is our number one priority. However, if you’re waking up around 12pm or later, try to set a goal to start your day in the A.M. times. If you’re up for it, 10am. If not, 11am.
Once you have your goal, work on waking up (and staying up) from those starting times for the duration of about a week. I promise you, after that first week it will be much easier to wake up at those times, as your body will be used to the new schedule. You can then — should you want to — work on getting up an hour earlier than that, and repeating the process.
However, our main goal was to get you up during the A.M. If you’ve done that, or were already doing that, great job! It’s a huge start. Don’t take it for granted; many of us are still getting up anymore from 12pm to 2pm these days. I know, because I started out doing that with this quarantine life.
2. Create a short list of 5 things you know you want to be productive with.
This one is easy; or so you think. Some of us have so many things we want to work on during these times — and that’s great! However, it may be too many things, which is why you aren’t able to commit to starting on any one project. Let’s narrow it down to 5 items that you know you definitely want to do.
Can’t decide? It’s best practice to mix the list up with some long-term and short-term goals. Short-term goals will be easier to knock out and keep you motivated; long-term goals will prove to be more difficult to sustain, but because you have the satisfaction of completing smaller goals, that fact alone will help to fuel you through these bigger projects.
3. Schedule a small window of time for productivity.
After you have your list, it’s important to dedicate some time to those goals and projects. If you find it hard to even start these endeavors, try 30 minutes. It may seem small, but just like with waking up earlier, it has to happen in baby steps.
Once you’re able to, having at least an hour to dedicate towards your productivity sessions will prove to be a great starting point. I, myself, like to make it at least 4 to 5 hours. I like to switch each hour with each project, so as to not burn out from doing one for too long. Play around with this scheduling and try and have fun while figuring out your groove. Just like your sleeping schedule, doing this for a week straight will be the toughest, but will make it much easier for the following weeks and months to come.
4. Take away distractions during your productivity time.
If you find it hard to put your phone down during these sessions, it may be time to put it across the room and leave it there until you’re done being productive. This goes for distracting sites too if you’re working from your laptop/desktop. Don’t have unnecessary tabs open if they’re not essential to your current project. Remind yourself that you want to be productive and work through learning these new skills.
5. Reward yourself for successful productivity sessions.
Finally, I believe in positive reinforcement; especially for the specific goal of being more productive in the long run. Reward your hard work of getting ahead on your projects and goals with some well-deserved relaxation. Sooner or later, what I’ve personally experienced is that you’ll actually want to keep being productive after your sessions are over and taking less relaxation times.
If you start feeling this “runner’s high,” keep it going! It means that your endurance for staying motivated and productive has increased, so like in cardio, you can “run longer,” so to speak. You’d be surprised at how starting off small can eventually lead to longer bouts of productivity without feeling exhausted or drained at the end of the day. Good luck!
