More and more people are working from home. Some of us are vetted in the process. Others are struggling to get anything done. Sometimes your TV is more enticing than work. Sometimes procrastination creeps up on you when you decide to take a “quick break” and browse Facebook (Spoiler alert, quick breaks and Facebook don’t mix). I’m here to tell you that all of this can be overcome with a change of mindset. These five things have helped me stay productive anywhere.

1. Morning Routine

Morning routines help you get yourself in the mindset of working. The more you do it, the easier it is to not procrastinate and get things done. Your morning routine can be something as simple as showering, eating, then meditating before work (which by the way, I recommend meditating). Your morning routine should reflect the goals that you want to achieve in life. What I mean by this is, if you’re an olympic contestant, chances are you’ll need to eat a bit different than others. You’ll also need to push yourself to work out in the morning before starting your day. Take the time out to make a routine for yourself that works. It takes time, but once you got it, it’ll be essential to your day, 

2. Planning Your Day

Planning your day is essential. If you have a plethora of tasks and no known way to get them done, chances are you’re stumbling through your tasks and forgetting to do things. Think of planning your day as laying down the ground rules for things to happen. Your time is important. So treat it as important. Set goals for the day. Get rid of everything that distracts you from those goals. Put everything on the table that you need to get done for the day/week/month. You can always do your recreational activities as a reward for doing your needed tasks. 

3. Time Blocking

So now you have everything you want to get done on the table in front of you. Now is the time to give it a time limit! Once you give yourself a time limit, you’re more than likely to get that task done in that time. When time blocking, give yourself a buffer between tasks. It can be anywhere between 15mins and 1 hour. I recommend a 15min buffer for tasks, and 1 hour buffer for meetings. Be sure to give yourself “enough” time to do your tasks as well. Not too much, but not too little. 

4. Evening Routine 

Just like a morning routine, an evening routine is just as important. Winding down and getting ready for the next day will help your mind get ready to take on the next day. A good evening routine should consist of turning off your phone, relaxing, and distancing yourself from work. Setting boundaries with your clients and shutting off screens is essential for recharging for the next day. You can even plan your day at night too before your evening routine. 

5. Breaks

Breaks, breaks, and breaks! Schedule break times with yourself. Remember those buffers I was talking about in time blocking? You can utilize those as breaks. Same as the time between meetings. Just make sure you actually take a break to clear your mind. It helps to start with a clear slate before starting a new task. I recommend podomoro timers to keep on the flow of breaks. 

I hope these we’re helpful. Do you have tips for people working at home? Write them down in the comments!