How To Stay Productive & Tools To Use When Working From Home 

New In Doha is happy to feature this guest post by @tracykassandra.

It’s no secret that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has turned our lives and schedules sideways. If you are someone who is lucky enough to be able to work from home during this time you now know that working from home can have its challenges. As a marketing consultant who often works from home (when I am not at a coffee shop), I have learned a few tricks to help me focus and be more productive and I thought I’d share them with you.

  1. Set a dedicated space.

When you sit in that area you know that’s work time. That may mean one particular seat, room or corner is your workspace.

@arnelhasanovic

  1. Start work with a clear focus.

That means, have your coffee, notes, snacks, sweaters, cushions, ready in your designated are before you sit down to work.

@paige_cody

  1. Create some kind of structure, like a to-do list.

It’s easy to get distracted at home, which is why starting the workday with a to-do list that can help you get back into focus.

Here are some FREE tools I recommend checking out.

  1. Don’t forget to take breaks.

When you give yourself breaks they can act as rewards. Go do some stretches, get an extra cuppa coffee, hug your family (who are probably in the next room), play with your pet, or get a snack. Now that you’ve decompressed a bit, you can get back into work focused.

@drewcoffman

  1. Manage your time well.

It can’t be all breaks and “rewards.” You do have to work at some point. Here are some free tools that help me focus on the task at hand and allow me to only distract myself at dedicated times.

  1. Minimize distractions.

Chances are your family or roommate is at home too or sitting in silence drives you mad. Try these tips to minimize distraction and help you focus:

  • Put headphones on and listen to music you can work to (instrumental is very popular)

  • If you are really missing your coffee shop stops every morning. Listen to coffee shop ambient sounds. Spotify Playlist and Coffitivity are good options.

  • Block distracting apps. Try Hocus Focus (Mac) or RescueTime to stop the social media scrolling.

    @brett_jordan

Well, those are some of the tips that help me work smarter from home. I hope they are useful to you. What are your tips to stay productive when working at home?

Tracy Kassandra is a digital marketer and professional photographer. Check out her website: www.tracykassandra.com

Cover photo @jeshoots

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