1. Productivity Hacks
1.1. Eat the frog – this means completing your biggest and most unpleasant job first
1.2. The one minute rule – finish tasks that will take one minute or less immediately
1.3. The Pomodoro technique/creating rewards – you can’t work for 8 hours straight, so schedule breaks during the day and keep track of them
1.4. Start tomorrow’s job – start tomorrow’s task before you clock off and now you don’t need to start that from fresh first thing tomorrow.
1.4.1. We also hate unfinished tasks, so it will be easier to pick this up right away
1.5. Use to-do lists – add anything you can’t finish to your list and then have a schedule time (20 minutes toward the end of the day, perhaps) to go through those items
2. The perfect home office:
2.1. Should be tidy
2.1.1. Use systems to keep it organized
2.1.1.1. Try using a paper tray/file system with work you are working on, work you need this week, work that you won’t need for a while but can’t dispose of
2.1.2. Go paperless where possible
2.1.3. Spend ten minutes at the end of the day completing tasks
2.2. Comfortable
2.2.1. The right temperature, lighting, and décor will have a physiological effect on your body, altering your mood and ability to focus!
2.2.2. The right chair and desk are important to prevent strain and other issues
2.2.3. Having more than one place to sit can be an effective way to prevent health issues and also to keep things fresh so you don’t feel stagnant and trapped
2.3. Inspiring
2.3.1. Use images of people who inspire you
2.3.2. Use examples of great work in your field
3. Powerful apps and gadgets:
3.1. Todoist is a fantastic to-do app that will help you to set tasks and then stick to them
3.1.1. Powerful natural language interpretation makes this easier to use
3.2. Notion is an incredible note-taking software that many people describe as a “second brain”
3.3. Zoom is useful video conferencing, used by most professionals and organizations
3.4. Asana is project management for teams and is extremely useful
3.5. Docusign is used for signing documents when you can’t be physically present
3.6. GoogleDrive offers cost effective cloud storage and also collaboration tools
3.7. Sharepoint is a Microsoft alternative to Google Drive. Very useful for collaboration using Microsoft Office tools
3.8. Freeom is an app that lets you block other apps and websites that usually take up your time
3.9. RescueTime lets you see how you’re spending your time throughout the day
3.10. The Apple Watch is a surprisingly powerful productivity tool
3.10.1. Keep your to-dos on your wrist
3.10.2. Check notifications without getting out your phone
3.11. Monitor your stats (such as steps) to ensure optimal health
4. The challenges of working from home are diverse
4.1. You work near to the environment you relax in, so the line between work and play can become blurred
4.2. You need to create your own work environment and provide your own tools and software
4.3. You are surrounded by distractions
4.4. There is no accountability and no one leaning over your shoulder
4.5. You don’t have a need to exercise or to go outside
4.6. The worst-case scenario therefore is that you end up:
4.6.1. Working late
4.6.2. Staring late
4.6.3. Not shaving or washing
4.6.4. Working in pyjamas
4.6.5. Never going outside or exercising
5. But using the right type of structure and strategy can prevent this being the case. Instead, the aim is to:
5.1. Finish work quickly so that you can end when you like
5.2. Create the ideal environment to work in for your sensibilities
5.3. Spend more time with the people and things you love
5.4. Use lifestyle design to choose how and when you will work
6. Healthy Habits
6.1. Make sure you spend at least some time outdoors
6.1.1. Vitamin D is crucial for hormone balance, mood, and sleep
6.2. Get some form of exercise
6.2.1. Cardio
6.2.2. Mobility/strength from something like yoga or calisthenics
6.3. Drink plenty of water throughout the day
6.4. Try to get social contact
6.4.1. Images of faces on your desk can have a healthy impact
6.4.2. Better is to meet friends for lunch, make calls, or hang out after work