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WFH During the Coronavirus Pandemic:

Organisation and Productivity Tips

How to reduce stress,, get organised and increase productivity while WFH in quarantine

So many companies are asking employees to continue to work from home to practice social distancing during the global COVID-19 pandemic. While, given the situation, those who can work from home are no doubt grateful, it does come with its own set of challenges. Here are some organisation tips to help you stay organised, reduce stress and get things done while working remotely in self-quarantine.

1. Designate and Organise a Workspace in your Home

To maximize productivity, you’ll want to set aside a room or area of your home that has plenty of natural light, minimum distractions and a comfy chair and desk or table. Once you’ve chosen your workspace, it’s time to set up the equipment you brought from work and make your temporary home office warm and welcoming so you can focus, be comfortable and stay productive.

Try these tips for adding more colour and light to your office for a happier, more productive workspace!

Let there be light 💡!

One study of more than 1,600 American workers found that natural light and outdoor views are the most sought-after elements for employees. 47% of those who did not have enough access to natural light reported feeling tired at work.

So, prioritise natural light and outdoor views when organising your home office space or capitalise on this perk at your office. If you’re in an office that doesn’t provide enough natural light, schedule brief breaks throughout the day to walk outside for some sunlight.

Hack your mood with plants 🌱.

Adding plants to your workspace can help reduce stress, increase feelings of happiness and help you be more productive. One psychology researcher explained that plants in the workplace can keep employees “psychologically engaged” in your space. Add a little green to your home office or desk at work to enjoy a natural mood boost and productivity bump!

2. Get organised and make a plan

Once you have a clear understanding of what your employer expects of you and you’ve set up your home workspace, it’s time to get organised. Sort and organise your work documents and office supplies, and store your company passwords and remote access info in a secure-but-accessible place. Then, use a planner, agenda, calendar or even a notebook to plan out your work schedule.

Digital planning tools are also great such as Notion which is a digital workspace where notes, databases, kanban boards, wikis, calendars and reminders. Users can connect these components to create their own systems for knowledge management, note taking, data management, project management, among others.

Start with big-picture monthly planning

Transfer all important dates, meetings and deadlines from email, Slack, Asana, Wrike, or whatever programs your company uses to one place like your calendar or monthly planner. Leave some room in your calendar because some dates might change.

Next, plan your weekly schedule

Once you have a birds-eye view of what’s on your plate for the next 30 days, you can map out your weekly work-at-home schedule. Note, if you have important personal appointments, obligations, projects, etc., add those to your monthly and weekly schedule too. That way, you won’t overextend yourself by only planning for work-related tasks, leaving your time tight for other important matters.

Finally, write down daily to-do's

Try to make time at the beginning of each day to jot down a list of to-dos for the day. This daily checklist is a great way to include details you couldn’t fit on your weekly or monthly schedule. Keep in mind how much time you have when making your lists. It’s okay to write a crazy-long list as a first draft; then, edit it down to the day’s top priorities. Doing so not only gives you a working roadmap for the day, but as you check off each item, you’re also encouraging and motivating yourself to stay productive. (It’s so rewarding to CHECK an item off a to-do list!)

The Podomoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method where it uses a timer to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. The Pomodoro Technique helps you resist all of those self-interruptions and re-train your brains to focus. Each pomodoro is dedicated to one task and each break is a chance to reset and bring your attention back to what you should be working on.

3. Stay on task, but make time for self care

While you leverage your digital and paper planning tools to stay focused and track your productivity, remember to take regular breaks to breathe, stay hydrated, eat lunch or a snack, and step away from your designated workspace from time to time. Self-care is vital to boosting and maintaining your productivity while working from home. And during stressful times like these, self-care is vital to your health too!

For more tips on self care to reduce burnout and stress click here!

4. Check out these videos on how to stay organised and productive