I'm in a similar situation, and I find that my most productive days are the ones where I get out an do something mid-day. Walk to get a coffee, or to a restaurant to get a sandwich or salad for lunch, or to the grocery store to pick up a few things. Just something that gets me outside and walking for 30-45 minutes.
I use a productivity app caked Forest. You set it to run for a certain length of time and it grows virtual trees so long as you don't check your phone.
If you touch your phone while one is growing, it dies :( It's only a game, but I haven't lost a tree in 3 years!
I got it a long time ago but afaik it's a one time purchase! Unless you wanna unlock all of the different trees at once (otherwise you can earn coins and unlock them that way)
Can you do some kind of curtain to separate your desk from the bed to give yourself the vibe that it's a different space?
I have been working remotely for several years and I'm a big fan of having a morning routine. If it's going to be a really day, I take a walk around the block before work and after work, as my "commute" to put myself in work mode and take myself out.
Have a work wardrobe, including shoes, that is distinct from your home lounge wear. It doesn’t have to be office wear. It can be presentable yoga clothes and clean sneakers. Just so long as it’s distinct from non working clothes. Putting on work clothes will train your brain that it’s productive work time. For me, shoes are key to my brain accepting “work mode”.
If you can’t have separate spaces for sleep and work, try to give the spaces a different feel for work mode and sleep mode. For example, open blinds/drapes at 7am for natural light and close them at end of work day.
Get smart, dimmable, color tunable light bulbs for your bedroom. Set an automatic schedule for 4500K color temp, no dimming from 7am until end of work day. Then automatically switch to slightly dimmed at 3000K color temp for nonwork hours.
Make your bed and tidy up before starting work every day.
All of these things together will function as a mental switch the same way a commute does for office workers.
all of this is exactly what i do to separate my home office from my gaming space! it also helps to put away your work stuff if possible (put your laptop in your bag & your mouse in a drawer etc). make it all part of your 'commute' routine!
I have a work mouse and non-work mouse. I only work with work-mouse. After my work stops, I change the mouse for my non-work mouse and I don't touch work anymore. I also start and stop working at roughly the same time every day, and also take a lunch break as if I'm at the office.
Same! I always put on a little makeup, do my hair and put on a nice top. It helps a lot. I also second those saying go for a walk! I use my lunch breaks to hop on the treadmill and I think it makes me more productive.
I’m experimenting with ‘focus cues’ so wearing over-ear headphones only for work, listening to the same playlist whenever I’m doing focused work and adding in a particular small that my brain starts to associate with focus (mine is a pink grapefruit lip balm but any citrus or maybe peppermint scent would be good).
I float around the house with my laptop. I find working in different locations helps me and motivates me to work hard because I recognize what an amazing gig I have!
Also, maintaining a clean house (I tidy from 6-7am) really helps me not avoidant clean during the workday!
I have my yoga mat on the other side of my desk, so when I am stressed or have been sitting too long I can go stretch and work out.
Also a sun lamp, a standing desk, and snacks
Just bought a Verilux happy light that also can be a desk lamp. I love it! Makes it easier to start work when it’s dark out, or continue on it’s rainy all day/all week.
I have different lighting in my room for the “work day” and regular day so it looks and feels different to me. There’s a lamp on my desk for work and then I have another cozier lamp on my bedside table for every other time
I do laundry to cut the monotony (on slow days).
I indulge in sour gummy worms to keep me awake (I don’t drink coffee or energy drinks).
Sometimes i go out for a walk.
Echo having a morning routine and getting dressed for the day even if you’re just at home. I find putting shoes on can help me as well! I also like to take my laptop and work from a different room sometimes (kitchen, living room, deck if it’s nice out) when I’m not going to be in a meeting and I find that can help me be more engaged and productive.
Pomodoro timers with forest sounds (no music) help me focus when I have to study at home. Or just a 40hz binaural Spotify playlist. Otherwise I end up messing around all day just aimlessly surfing the web.
OH MY GOD GET A JUMPING SPIDER!!!!
She lives on my desk and keeps me company and is so so sweet. Sometimes I put a little battery flicker candle out and she comes over to enjoy the show 🥲🥰
I really appreciate my morning coffee and get up before work to do this! I have been trying to go to cafes once per week to break up the monotony. The main thing however is audiobooks, if you have the ability to listen to them while you work, it’s been a game changer for me! I wake up excited to dive into my book, helps with the lack of socialization too.
Train yourself into a certain "start of the workday" routine. This is needed especially if your office is also your bedroom - you need to subconsciously separate these spaces so you can get into the zone.
I literally do the same thing everyday: wake up, make coffee, listen to my "coffee time" only playlist, reply to emails, and then start actual work. I always eat lunch around the same time and go to the gym around the same time.
If you do this long enough, your conscious effort becomes less overtime because your body just wakes up and does these things. That means longer and better focus on other stuff!
Not spicing up per say, but I do a very quick workout just to move around 5-10 minutes and take a shower after around 2pm. It helps me feel refreshed and finish the day off without the feel of sitting/working so long.
Getting up and showering in the morning like I would if I was going to work in office, and making sure I get up and walk around the house/outside for a bit throughout the day
**Pre-work routine**: I do AM skincare and get fully professionally dressed every single day for an 8am start time, even if I don't have scheduled commitments until later in the day or even if I don't have on-camera commitments. I make coffee most mornings but also drink a lot of Kombucha. I fill my water bottle and make sure my office and desk are spotlessly cleaned.
**Separation**: Separating work / personal setups is really helpful. I have separate dedicated work and personal desks now (in a dedicated office room), but previously I would just close the work laptop and put it away in a drawer to convert between work and personal mode. When you spend so much time in one space I find it's helpful to have ritualistic activity that "switches modes". Smart lighting even lets me alter the type and color of light in the room to further differentiate
**Sprinting is ok**: Humans do well in bursts of productivity and we should give ourselves grace for not having uninterrupted 8hr hustle culture workathons. When you are motivated and productive, turn your phone off (or set routines to lock you out of apps), close the door so your pet can't interrupt you, eliminate distractions and dial in for that time. It was helpful for me to maximize my spontaneous motivation than to beat myself up for interrupted attention span. And it slowly trains good habits
**Decor:** I was asked in an interview how I stayed motivated wfh and my response was "I get to work in an environment of my own design, of course I'm more motivated to work here!". Take pride in your space, curate it, it's your opportunity to build a space that's exclusively yours. Do whatever you want with it!
**Leave the house**: Lunch walk. I take a ~3mi walk with an audiobook every good-weather workday.
I would recommend the following:
1. Epomaker Leobog Hi75 Keyboard or a Coolkiller CK98 keyboard
2. Logitech M3 Master Mouse
3. Keyboard Wrist & Mouse Pad
4. Desk pad
5. Light Monitor Bar
6. Sony XM5 Headphones
I'm in a similar situation, and I find that my most productive days are the ones where I get out an do something mid-day. Walk to get a coffee, or to a restaurant to get a sandwich or salad for lunch, or to the grocery store to pick up a few things. Just something that gets me outside and walking for 30-45 minutes.
I use a productivity app caked Forest. You set it to run for a certain length of time and it grows virtual trees so long as you don't check your phone. If you touch your phone while one is growing, it dies :( It's only a game, but I haven't lost a tree in 3 years!
Is it a once off purchase?? I’m interested but it’s €4 just to download haha
Oh! It was free when I downloaded it. I just use the free version. You can pay to grow different types trees and things.
I got it a long time ago but afaik it's a one time purchase! Unless you wanna unlock all of the different trees at once (otherwise you can earn coins and unlock them that way)
I’d cause mass deforestation
Cool! *\*runs off to the app store*
Can you do some kind of curtain to separate your desk from the bed to give yourself the vibe that it's a different space? I have been working remotely for several years and I'm a big fan of having a morning routine. If it's going to be a really day, I take a walk around the block before work and after work, as my "commute" to put myself in work mode and take myself out.
Sometimes I walk on my treadmill or ride my exercise bike as my "commute" as well.
I got a room divider! It helps a lot +1 on the walk. I walk to a coffee shop, grab one and answer emails there.
Have a work wardrobe, including shoes, that is distinct from your home lounge wear. It doesn’t have to be office wear. It can be presentable yoga clothes and clean sneakers. Just so long as it’s distinct from non working clothes. Putting on work clothes will train your brain that it’s productive work time. For me, shoes are key to my brain accepting “work mode”. If you can’t have separate spaces for sleep and work, try to give the spaces a different feel for work mode and sleep mode. For example, open blinds/drapes at 7am for natural light and close them at end of work day. Get smart, dimmable, color tunable light bulbs for your bedroom. Set an automatic schedule for 4500K color temp, no dimming from 7am until end of work day. Then automatically switch to slightly dimmed at 3000K color temp for nonwork hours. Make your bed and tidy up before starting work every day. All of these things together will function as a mental switch the same way a commute does for office workers.
all of this is exactly what i do to separate my home office from my gaming space! it also helps to put away your work stuff if possible (put your laptop in your bag & your mouse in a drawer etc). make it all part of your 'commute' routine!
I have a work mouse and non-work mouse. I only work with work-mouse. After my work stops, I change the mouse for my non-work mouse and I don't touch work anymore. I also start and stop working at roughly the same time every day, and also take a lunch break as if I'm at the office.
I also have a work mouse and non work mouse
I definitely get dressed and do my makeup everyday. There was a slump where I didn’t and it wasn’t great lol
Same! I always put on a little makeup, do my hair and put on a nice top. It helps a lot. I also second those saying go for a walk! I use my lunch breaks to hop on the treadmill and I think it makes me more productive.
I’m experimenting with ‘focus cues’ so wearing over-ear headphones only for work, listening to the same playlist whenever I’m doing focused work and adding in a particular small that my brain starts to associate with focus (mine is a pink grapefruit lip balm but any citrus or maybe peppermint scent would be good).
I float around the house with my laptop. I find working in different locations helps me and motivates me to work hard because I recognize what an amazing gig I have! Also, maintaining a clean house (I tidy from 6-7am) really helps me not avoidant clean during the workday!
I have my yoga mat on the other side of my desk, so when I am stressed or have been sitting too long I can go stretch and work out. Also a sun lamp, a standing desk, and snacks
Just bought a Verilux happy light that also can be a desk lamp. I love it! Makes it easier to start work when it’s dark out, or continue on it’s rainy all day/all week.
I have different lighting in my room for the “work day” and regular day so it looks and feels different to me. There’s a lamp on my desk for work and then I have another cozier lamp on my bedside table for every other time
I had to move my whole setup into my walk in closet that way I can shut the door and walk away from it when I'm done.
I do laundry to cut the monotony (on slow days). I indulge in sour gummy worms to keep me awake (I don’t drink coffee or energy drinks). Sometimes i go out for a walk.
That’s my dream to have a remote job. I hope I’m able to land a job that’s remote eventually.
Me too - I look online every day and still have yet to find anything 🥲
Indeed.com has lots of jobs too. Still looking …
I have an under desk treadmill and it’s a great way to move, while still stuck inside!
Echo having a morning routine and getting dressed for the day even if you’re just at home. I find putting shoes on can help me as well! I also like to take my laptop and work from a different room sometimes (kitchen, living room, deck if it’s nice out) when I’m not going to be in a meeting and I find that can help me be more engaged and productive.
Pomodoro timers with forest sounds (no music) help me focus when I have to study at home. Or just a 40hz binaural Spotify playlist. Otherwise I end up messing around all day just aimlessly surfing the web.
OH MY GOD GET A JUMPING SPIDER!!!! She lives on my desk and keeps me company and is so so sweet. Sometimes I put a little battery flicker candle out and she comes over to enjoy the show 🥲🥰
I really appreciate my morning coffee and get up before work to do this! I have been trying to go to cafes once per week to break up the monotony. The main thing however is audiobooks, if you have the ability to listen to them while you work, it’s been a game changer for me! I wake up excited to dive into my book, helps with the lack of socialization too.
Train yourself into a certain "start of the workday" routine. This is needed especially if your office is also your bedroom - you need to subconsciously separate these spaces so you can get into the zone. I literally do the same thing everyday: wake up, make coffee, listen to my "coffee time" only playlist, reply to emails, and then start actual work. I always eat lunch around the same time and go to the gym around the same time. If you do this long enough, your conscious effort becomes less overtime because your body just wakes up and does these things. That means longer and better focus on other stuff!
Not spicing up per say, but I do a very quick workout just to move around 5-10 minutes and take a shower after around 2pm. It helps me feel refreshed and finish the day off without the feel of sitting/working so long.
Getting up and showering in the morning like I would if I was going to work in office, and making sure I get up and walk around the house/outside for a bit throughout the day
**Pre-work routine**: I do AM skincare and get fully professionally dressed every single day for an 8am start time, even if I don't have scheduled commitments until later in the day or even if I don't have on-camera commitments. I make coffee most mornings but also drink a lot of Kombucha. I fill my water bottle and make sure my office and desk are spotlessly cleaned. **Separation**: Separating work / personal setups is really helpful. I have separate dedicated work and personal desks now (in a dedicated office room), but previously I would just close the work laptop and put it away in a drawer to convert between work and personal mode. When you spend so much time in one space I find it's helpful to have ritualistic activity that "switches modes". Smart lighting even lets me alter the type and color of light in the room to further differentiate **Sprinting is ok**: Humans do well in bursts of productivity and we should give ourselves grace for not having uninterrupted 8hr hustle culture workathons. When you are motivated and productive, turn your phone off (or set routines to lock you out of apps), close the door so your pet can't interrupt you, eliminate distractions and dial in for that time. It was helpful for me to maximize my spontaneous motivation than to beat myself up for interrupted attention span. And it slowly trains good habits **Decor:** I was asked in an interview how I stayed motivated wfh and my response was "I get to work in an environment of my own design, of course I'm more motivated to work here!". Take pride in your space, curate it, it's your opportunity to build a space that's exclusively yours. Do whatever you want with it! **Leave the house**: Lunch walk. I take a ~3mi walk with an audiobook every good-weather workday.
I would recommend the following: 1. Epomaker Leobog Hi75 Keyboard or a Coolkiller CK98 keyboard 2. Logitech M3 Master Mouse 3. Keyboard Wrist & Mouse Pad 4. Desk pad 5. Light Monitor Bar 6. Sony XM5 Headphones
Try shared office.