3 Tips for Increasing Your Productivity While Working from Home

We are so excited to have Tia Lorae of Tia Lorae Storytelling as our guest blogger today! She is a talented videographer located in Colorado. When she is not traveling or creating visual stories, she is working from her home office.

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As someone who LOVES staying at home, I'm not exaggerating when I say I often daydream of a life where I never have to leave the house. In this dream life, my days would consist of waking up in my home in the middle of the woods, throwing on my comfiest outfit, sipping some coffee and peering outside my giant windows while I watch the morning light peek through the mountain tops. Then, I would spend my day writing and creating art. Perhaps working out in the comfort of my own home. Going for walks. Being with my family. Playing with my dog. What a dream!

You can imagine, when the world was forced to stay at home, I was quite literally living the dream (minus the house with giant windows in the mountains, still working on that one). I already worked from home part of the time, so I was more than ready to hunker down, really lean into this situation and use this time to be insanely productive. But not without using the "work from home systems" I have been developing the past couple of years.

Here are my top three tips for increasing your productivity while working from home:

1. Get dressed for the day

I know it seems convenient for a boutique to be telling you that looking fancy while working from home increases productivity, but it's TRUE!!! Research says it and I feel it. Anytime I do a little something to myself in the morning, I instantly feel a shift in my mindset. It also helps me separate work from leisure. Because when I'm dressed, I'm working. And when I'm in sweats, I'm chilling at home. When work and home are in the same place, it's good to have some things that separate the two. Now, buying a new outfit is a bonus. Because online shopping is super fun and it gets you excited about something you would do in your regular routine that you're maybe not doing as much anymore... shopping and getting dolled up.

Check out this article on Forbes for some research backed proof that wearing that new outfit at home, could help you get more done.

2. Setting up your work space

When working from home, it can feel like the dream to work from the couch or from your bed. But please, never do this. One of the best ways to increase productivity is again, putting some sort of separation between work and home, even though you're working from home. Which means setting up a special place to work. Whether that is at the kitchen table, a nook in the corner of your living room or an actual desk, make a space that is solely dedicated to work. Sitting in a proper chair can also improve posture which also can have a direct impact on productivity. Basically, just create a space for you to work so that you can create those boundaries that are so important when working from home.

3. Create a schedule

Starting first thing in the morning, create a routine from the second you get out of bed. Start your day off with something focused on you. Do yoga, meditate, go for a walk, exercise, journal, whatever it is... do something that is related to caring for yourself. Develop a morning routine and stick with it strictly.

Then, create a routine for your daily work schedule. Whatever that may look like for you, make sure it includes breaks. Every 90 minutes or so, take a short 5-10 minute break to walk, meditate, eat something, etc. This is shown to increase productivity dramatically.

Set a time to begin and end work and STICK TO IT. That means truly putting away your devices after a work day at the time you say you are going to. Put away that laptop, phone, notebook, etc. and separate yourself from work. Studies show true rest is necessary to improve performance. So actually give yourself time to rest!!!! Here's more information on rest to increase productivity.

And finally, give yourself grace. I always like to mention that. Because we are imperfect beings and we will never be perfect. Try your best to implement some boundaries for yourself and promise to love yourself even if you don't stick with them every single day.

P.S. Check out Tia Lorae's website for details about her business, travels and more.