The pandemic has really taken a toll on a lot of us, with a huge impact on our productivity. It seems there are no weekends, every day is just another day and time is just passing by. I definitely have video conferencing fatigue and staring at my computer all day doesn’t help. There are even some days where I really have to push myself to get out of the bed and be productive.
When I find it hard to stay motivated and be productive, I always try to change my routine, get organized, get physically active and make sure that I am prioritizing self-care. Here are five things that have helped me stay productive during the pandemic.
Create a realistic to-do list. Creating a realistic to-do list each day or at the beginning of the week, whichever you prefer, to keep organized, is so important. I added realistic, because often times I load up my agenda with way too many things that are close to impossible to getting them all done in one day, and I end up feeling either overwhelmed because it’s too much or defeated because I wasn’t able to get everything done. In learning from that, I create a realistic to-do list with tasks that I can challenge myself to get done but won’t overwhelm myself with too much work.
Take breaks. Taking breaks during the workday is so important to give your brain and your body a rest. Often times, I find myself glued to the computer for 8 hours and once I finally peel myself from my desk, I’m too exhausted to do anything else and sometimes I even feel like I didn’t get much done. Now, I’ve started to set alarms for 15-minute breaks and a 1-hour lunch break to step away from my computer, take a walk, eat a snack, etc. Taking breaks usually gives me a quick reset and refresh so that when I go back, I feel better about the rest of my day.
Change your workstation. I’ve found that sometimes looking at the same wall every day can make my workday boring and unstimulating, so I like to switch up my workstation. Some days I will work in my office, some days I will work at my kitchen island, and some days I will even sit on my balcony and do work. Changing up my workstation allows me to have new scenery and increases my creativity and productivity.
Exercise. Exercising keeps me feeling energetic, is a great stress reliever, and boosts productivity significantly. It makes me feel better about myself and what I set out to do. Find time to exercise or be physically active each day. Exercising doesn’t only mean going to the gym; exercising can be taking a walk, riding a bike, or taking a hike. Find something you enjoy doing and get active.
Prioritize self-care. Self-care is always the most important! The thing that I love about self-care is that you get to define what self-care is for you. It can be watching your favorite movie, reading a new book, taking a hot bubble bath, shopping, or even taking a trip to the spa. However self-care looks for you, be sure to prioritize those activities. When you make time for yourself, you feel more confident, motivated, and enthusiastic about the work week because you set the reset button on your mind and body.