Current events have created working challenges. Working from home might have sounded cozy, but it seems the silver lining isn’t quite as shiny as you’d hoped. Your productivity is impacted, your kids want attention, the dog wants to be fed, and your husband is hunched over his laptop trying to work from home, too!

What can you do?

How can you still be productive in your new circumstances?

Here are some tips to help you stay on track and get the job done.

1.      Set aside a specific area for working. It’s good to get into the habit of using one place to work. This signifies to both your brain and your family members that you are in work mode and not to be disturbed.
2.      Manage your expectations. NPR mentions this important tip in one of their articles. What it comes down to is that you won’t be able to do everything you normally would. There will be limitations due to technology or lack of communication. Try to stay as connected as possible, but also prioritize what needs to be taken care of first.
3.      Create a schedule. That means eating meals away from your desk and having start and stop times, so that you’re focused during working hours. There are helpful apps if you get easily distracted. Sites like GetColdTurkey.com or Freedom.to offer apps that block websites. You can set them up to block your favorite places like social media for certain periods of time.
4.      Plan ahead and prioritize. Like mentioned above, prioritizing will become a crucial element in keeping your productivity high. The best way to do this is to plan ahead, whether the night before or first thing in the morning. Know which projects need your attention first. Multi-tasking rarely allows you to accomplish more. You may feel like it does, but deep focus on one task at a time is the best surefire method for staying productive.
5.      Make sure your technology is up to snuff. It’s especially important that you understand which programs can help you during your time at home. Meetings can be done via Skype, Zoom, or other sites of this nature. You’ll also want to consider project managers like Asana, Basecamp, or Trello to help with organization.
6.      Prepare for distractions. It’s a fact of life. Your children will see you at home and not grasp your need to stay focused on work. Pre-plan activities for younger children. Plan a block of work time while they watch a movie. Older kids can help watch younger children if you’re in the middle of a work project. Go with the flow as much as your able, but let them know that while you’re at home, you still have work to do.
7.      Create healthy patterns. Get up and stretch often. It’s easy to get sucked into your work and forget that you haven’t moved in a while. Take breaks that allow you to stretch your legs, or to socialize for a short bit.
8.      Consider having an accountability buddy from work. Knowing you have to check in with your progress helps keep you on track. When we’re working as a team, we tend to feel an enhanced sense of responsibility.
9.      Structure can help everybody adapt to the changes. Pre-plan meals, have routines, and create a sense of family structure. Earlier we mentioned schedules, but that was about your personal work schedule. If you’re working at home with children, it’s going to be extremely helpful to keep to a routine that all of you can work with. Maybe you work while your husband watches the kids. And then you switch, taking turns either every other hour or in blocks of two to three hours.
10.   Lastly, understand you might be less productive. And that’s okay. Do your best. It’s a huge change for many families right now. Adapt how you’re able. Try to set up some of these tips and hopefully this new normal won’t last too long. Flexibility will be important for your mental health. If you’re too stern about what needs to be done when, it might be a losing battle. Instead, try to set boundaries, follow them when you’re able, and if things don’t go as plan don’t lose your temper. Simply work around the situation, adapt, and go at it again.

Working from home is something that takes time. Establishing patterns don’t happen overnight. But, when you’ve found something that works, add it to your routine. Make a note of things that aren’t working and brainstorm ways to work around the issue.

Maybe you found that you work best later in the day. Maybe you’re a morning person. Figuring out small details like this can help your productivity soar. With time and patience, you’ll soon be in a pattern like it’s completely natural.