How to Create A Super Productive Work Environment At Home
Episode 419: Show Notes
Today on the Strategy Hour Podcast, we figured that – in light of the current coronavirus restrictions – it might be a good idea to share some strategies for creating a super productive work environment at home. With a great deal of travel suspended, in-person events canceled, schools closed, and employees asked to go home, people around the globe are having to think about how they can remain productive out of the office.
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Some of you might already be working from home, but for some, this might be a first-time experience and we want to help you master the most common challenges when living, working and parenting in the same space. With kids at home, parents are now confronted with the added challenge of having to look after their children while still maintaining work productivity. In this episode, we dish out strategies for getting your to-do-list crossed off, whether you are a business owner, parent, or both!
Implement Some Degree of Structure
Very few people thrive in a fluid environment. Even for creative people, having some sense of structure is going to help them get more done. Depending on your personality, you might be comfortable with rigid structures and routines, while some might prefer to be a bit more flexible, but either way, it is important to have some structure for your day-to-day tasks. Having no structure at all will not work out in the long run – you can take our word for it! It comes down to still doing the habits you used to do when you went out to work, including waking up the same time every day or starting work at the same time as always. Just because you are home does not mean you should abandon all routines. This principle applies even more to families with children as kids need structure more than anyone. Young kids have strict routines when they are at school and it would be best if you can apply these routines at home too. For example, kids usually do academic work in the mornings, so try to get that done with your children in the morning while you are burning through your workload.
Why Time-Blocking Is a Good Idea
If you are running your own business from home, we recommend assigning certain tasks to specific days or choose set hours in which to do a particular task – which comes down to time blocking. Again, if your structure is too loose, you end up giving too much time away to other people and things that are not important, so having designated days or hours for priority items is key to ensuring productivity. Our broad structure looks like this: Mondays are off and Tuesdays are put aside for meetings – a time to communicate and get important information – so we do not expect to get any other tasks done. Wednesdays are for recording podcasts, Thursdays for engaging with and giving back to our audiences, and Fridays we keep open for whatever comes up. Here’s an example of how this works: if you need to record YouTube videos (and thus need quiet), why not pick a specific day on which to do it and find childcare for that one day if that is all you can afford for the moment? If you try to record videos throughout the week, you are never sure of when you might have quiet time if you are also looking after your children. Time-blocking allows you to plan and thus be more productive. Also, consider when you are most productive: are you a morning person or do you function best later in the day? Think about these things and plan your work around it.
Rethink When You Might Be Getting Work Done
We firmly believe it is possible to get the same amount of work done if you put your mind to it. But it is important to consider that you might not have the work done at the same time you always did. So, why not give yourself some grace around when the work gets done? None of us planned for this new reality we currently face, so readjusting your expectations is necessary. Working from home might require you to work at 7pm, which you have never done before or you might need to get up earlier to have some quiet time for work. See this as an opportunity to learn more about your work habits and your most productive hours and you might be pleasantly surprised at what this new structure offers. Having said that, it is still important to decide when you clock in and clock out because if you are not careful, you might end up working too many hours and become burned out or become trapped in always checking your email and always being on standby. We believe that by being present – whether you are cooking, spending time with your kids, or typing an email, you can be more productive. This requires you to be strict about your time – to work when you work and play when you play – otherwise, you will spend long hours being unproductive, and this frustrates everybody. Decide beforehand how many hours of work you need to do to feel good about it, and aim to get that done.
Resources and Advice for Parents Who Work From Home
The first great resource is the home education DVD set from Rock N Learn. They come in packs or one-off sets, have a variety of language options, and are all geared towards how kids learn. If you don’t want to buy a whole set of stuff, the Reading Eggs and Mathseeds apps for your phone or iPad are fun educational games for only $5 a month. There are three podcasts for kids we highly recommend: Brains On, Tumble, and Story Pirates. These are great for when you are traveling in a car or want to limit the screen time while still keeping your kids occupied in constructive ways. When you haven’t been working from home and are suddenly asked to do so, it is easy to think you will get more done because you are home. This is not the case. It is impossible to get all your hours in, take care of the kids, do the laundry, and cook dinner – so the sooner you realize it is not going to happen, the better. No one is Superwoman, so do not put that expectation on yourself. Communicating your needs to your partner and loved ones is super important because then they can jump in and help out when needed. While we practice social distancing, do not forget to go outside. You might not be able to go to the park, but make a point of getting into the garden or onto the porch for some sunlight and fresh air.
Remember to Take Care of Yourself
For those who are new to working from home, if you are going to neglect yourself, all else will be neglected too. If you used to exercise and shower before going to the office, you should still do those things and we can almost guarantee it will make you more productive. If you stay in your pajamas the whole day, it is unlikely that you will be mentally focused to perform your tasks. Another great resource is homeschool co-ops. These are small get-togethers for kids during which they do a range of activities from nature walks to visiting the zoo. This is helpful for parents who need a couple of hours to do important work or perhaps just catch a breather. Establishing these group relationships can be super helpful in the long-run too, when the coronavirus is no longer a global threat. You can still be productive in these new circumstances, everything does not have to come to a complete standstill.
Quote This
You can be extremely structured, or have a structure that is more fluid, but having no structure, will not serve you in the long-term.
Highlights
Implement Some Degree of Structure. [0:04:35.1]
Why Time-Blocking Is A Good Idea. [0:07:36.1]
Rethink When You Might Be Getting Work Done. [0:11:55.1]
Resources and Advice for Parents Who Work From Home. [0:20:13.1]
Remember to Take Care of Yourself. [0:26:30.1]
ON TODAY’S SHOW
Abagail & Emylee
The Strategy Hour Podcast
We help overwhelmed and creative entrepreneurs break down their Oprah-sized dreams to create a functioning command center to tame the chaos of their business. Basically, we think you’re totally bomb diggity, we’re about to uplevel the shiz out of your business.
KEY TOPICS
Structure, Time-blocking, Mindfulness, Productivity, Educational resources, Parenting, Social distancing, Coronavirus, COVID-19
