-Hi, I'm Nikki.
For the past couple of years, I've been adapting to working from home.
-I'm Zach, and I've just started a new job that,
at least for now, is entirely remote.
-I'm Lily.
I've been doing the work from home since long before it was cool.
-Today, we're going to take turns walking you through an example
of an ideal work from home day from start to finish,
and highlight some tips to help you stay productive.
I'll go first, this is Job Science.
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-I found that the first step towards a productive day
requires creating and maintaining a good morning routine.
Now, this can be different for everyone, but let's cover the basics.
For starters, I think it's still important to dress for work,
even though you're at home.
Yes, I've been guilty of wearing sweats 24/7 too,
but this isn't about looks.
I've come to realize that this little freshening up step
subconsciously gets me into the right mindset for work.
Think about how confident you feel after getting dressed up for a night out.
You likely feel more alert, and that will motivate you.
Before we move on, if you're finding this video helpful so far,
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Also, go down to the comment section below,
and let us know what helped you stay productive while working from home.
Now you're ready to get to work, but before that,
it's really important to create a working schedule.
I'm not talking about appointments or meetings,
I mean clearly defining your working hours with your managers and teams.
I've already established when I'm available for meetings
or other collaborations, when I'm working but focusing and not available to others,
and when I'm not working at all.
Tim Ferriss wisely suggested scheduling your time-off
and defending it just like you would an important meeting.
Sound advice.
In any case, your boss will likely want to have some input on the schedule,
but once things are clearly defined,
everyone can get on the same page in terms of expectations.
Now let's get to work.
As I'm getting started, I like to map out a plan for the day.
Helps me stay more proactive and less reactive.
I'll first review my daily calendar
to remind me of any meetings I have ahead of me.
There's typically an agenda or a deck I'll need to review to prepare,
which means I'll switch over to my to-do list
and assign myself those tasks, so I don't forget.
If you're like me, you'll probably have more items on your to-do list
than you can accomplish in a day. It's normal.
I suggest updating your list every morning to help you keep up.
The longer you procrastinate, the more intimidating the tasks will seem.
I find them more successful when I get started right away,
even if I don't complete the task as quickly as I'd hope.
If you're still feeling overwhelmed,
try breaking bigger tasks into smaller steps.
This makes it less daunting and encourages you to keep at it
as you cross off the individual steps.
Just be sure to set some mini-deadlines to keep yourself motivated.
You might be surprised at how much more you can accomplish
when you break it all up.
I also recommend the Pomodoro Technique for time management.
Essentially, it's alternating between 25 minutes of work
with 5 minutes of a break. It's a great way to hit reset.
I prefer a longer and more active break like yoga or the exercise bike.
I find it provides me more energy for the rest of my day.
Just make sure to leave your phone at your desk, it can wait.
It's all about finding ways to help enhance your work-life balance.
Good luck.
-Hey, again. I'm a little newer to this whole work-from-home thing,
but I've already picked up on a few tips and habits that have helped me
maintain focus and stay productive.
I find it really useful to clearly define the workspace.
What that means for me is keeping this desk well-lit, organized,
and clutter-free and designating it as only for working.
Of course, I use my laptop for other things
like watching videos or social media,
but I try to take it somewhere else like the couch for that.
This helps me resist those distractions while I'm at my desk.
Also, a big part of defining your workspace is making it clear to roommates
or family that when you're in this environment,
it means you're at work.
One trick, noise-canceling headphones.
Not only will this drown out noise or distractions,
but it also sends a clear signal that you're not to be disturbed.
Sometimes I work with a little music playing,
but I usually go with instrumental so I can focus better.
Now, everybody's job is a little different,
but we all have to make conscious choices to increase our productivity,
especially when working from home.
Multitasking is a sworn enemy of productivity and I've learned that.
At least for me, it makes you feel like you're getting things done
because you're busy, but you're probably just procrastinating.
To prevent this, I've been trying out a technique called batching.
This means grouping specific types of tasks and executing them.
I find I accomplish more this way and my quality of work improves too.
For example, setting a specific time to do your email
and then closing out of your inbox until a later time.
One of my problems was darting back and forth every few minutes
between my inbox and the project I was trying to get done.
I was getting nowhere or if you have to pivot between collaborative work
with quieter administrative tasks like invoicing,
you might be happier designating separate times
for each of these so they don't overlap.
For some people, it's better to start off with your hardest
or daunting task and get it over with but I find I'm more effective
when I tackle smaller things first and work my way up.
It creates momentum and builds my confidence level
about getting everything done.
I suggest taking the time to figure out what workflow works best for you.
In the work from home era, we've lost some of the ability
to collaborate and help each other out
as spontaneously as we used to back in the office.
Find out your employer's preferred method of online communication.
Does everyone use an online messaging app?
Is it common to leave a comment in a Doc?
Don't be afraid to reach out to your coworkers or manager with questions.
Some people miss that one-on-one connection,
so chances are they'll be glad to hear from you.
As the new guy on the team,
it has certainly helped me out many times.
It doesn't always have to be a work meeting with an agenda.
Since we no longer have those hallway conversations,
it's okay to schedule a virtual lunch just to catch up with a coworker.
Before you do so, I recommend checking out this video
on four easy ways to build your emotional intelligence.
This is such an important soft skill.
Finally, don't forget to take care of yourself.
Steve Jobs may be famous for his ambition and work ethic,
but he was also known for making time to nourish his body and mind.
For me, that means eating something light and healthy,
like a salad for lunch.
I also like the breakings up by taking my dog for a quick walk.
It's a nice reset and gives me an energy boost for the afternoon,
you can't just sit and stare at a screen all day.
-Hello, again. As I mentioned earlier, in my field,
I've had the ability to work from home since long before 2020 made it normal.
Let me share a few things I've learned along the way.
For starters, I encourage you to try and find your why.
Purpose and meaning are absolutely key components of feeling good
about your job, which in turn will motivate you to stay productive
and ultimately achieve more.
It took me a long time and a few career missteps to figure this out for myself.
For a while, I was just coasting along at a big company whose values
and management style were completely out of sync with mine.
If you're feeling this way, remember you're not alone.
For help with defining your purpose,
check out this video right here.
It helped me to sit down and ask myself some tough questions
about what my passions are?
Why I do what I do and what I felt like I was missing out on?
Then to physically write out the answers so I could review them
and figure out how I was feeling.
Once I finally found my why, which is helping people,
my priorities became so clear.
I've been happier and more successful at what I do.
I'm even coaching now and helping advise new moms on finding balance
after returning to the workforce.
Having been through this stage myself,
I find it truly rewarding to pass on what I've learned.
Now, if you're stumped on finding that meaning and what you do,
that's okay, but it's never too late
to start thinking about trying something else.
Productivity is subjective.
For me, it's about the quality versus quantity of work,
but for some people in certain fields,
it's defined differently and sometimes pure output
really determines the bottom line.
In any event, there's a great quote by legendary basketball coach,
John Wooden, "Never mistake activity for achievement."
Whenever I'm feeling, especially busier or overwhelmed,
I try to be mindful of that advice.
Let yourself rest your focus towards what you need to be doing
to achieve your goals.
Although working from home can be convenient,
It can also be hard to define your boundaries.
You might find yourself cramming in more meetings
because you're comfortable at working at home for longer hours,
but that doesn't necessarily mean it's increasing your productivity.
In fact, it's often the opposite
and many people are reporting fatigue from all of this.
We need to take better care of ourselves.
I've learned that I've had to draw a hard line
in terms of how many virtual meetings I can accommodate per week.
Because I was feeling so overscheduled,
I found myself scrambling to get the actual work done during off-hours.
This is another good example of the quantity
versus quality trap I try to avoid.
Instead, I recommend scheduling some downtime during the workday
to take breaks and recharge.
If you're like me, it may feel like you're slacking off,
but think of it this way, you're making up for your old commute
or lunch outings that give you a chance to take a mental break.
Ultimately, what I think we're all looking and striving for,
whether we're working at home, or the office,
or in the field is very straightforward.
It's balance.
When I found the right balance of work, play, and rest,
I feel centered and know I can be my most productive.
For me, that means getting a good night's sleep
and going easy on the caffeine.
Finally, when your workday is over, I think you should make it official,
just as if you're leaving the office.
I stay off my work email outside of business hours.
If you want to be able to recharge
and ensure you'll be just as productive tomorrow,
don't be afraid to close that laptop and call it a night.
If you found this video helpful,
make sure you hit the like button down below
and subscribe to our channel over here.
For more productivity help right now,
I recommend checking out this video and playlist.
Okay, we're closing down for the night for real now.
See you next time.