Did you guys hit the quaran-slump?

You know, the major WALL of unproductivity that crept in somewhere around day 5637 of quarantine?

I definitely did.

The quarantine situation as a result of covid has uprooted many things. One of those being my productivity levels.

I started off really positive and productive, but somewhere along the way I got less motivated to do daily tasks and found myself in need of a huge morale boost.

The effect of remote work on productivity was probably so different for everyone. Plus, it's totally okay to not be this extreme-productive-machine all the time.

Regardless, some days you gotta get up and do life even when you don't want to, so it's good to know some productivity hacks to keep things running smoothly.

While quarantine is (mostly) behind us (hopefully), work from home is here to stay for a lot of us.

So if you're going through it too, join me in trying to recommit to work from home productivity! To get you started, here are 3 work from home tips that will help pull you right out of the quaran-slump!

Or just like, a regular slump.

Simple Work From Home Tips

Productivity sometimes feels like a huge ordeal. There are so many complicated planning systems and theories shared on the Internet that it's hard to keep up or know what's best for you to do.

And with social media showing us a whirlwind of highlights from everyone we know, it can seem like everyone's being crazy productive and you're left behind.

All of this (and more) makes it even harder to stay productive, which is a challenge all in itself!

If you're trying to be "that girl" and go after your huge dreams, staying positive and productive doesn't have to be this extremely hard process that you figure out.

Simply adding a few healthy habits into your daily life can make a huge difference. In this post, I'm sharing 3 easy tips to increase your work from home productivity that helped me out a lot...and really didn't take much effort on my part.

The goal is to make them work for you. Use these as a starting point and then figure out what get's you going the most. You got this!

1) Develop A Morning Routine

Whether it's working out before you leave for work at 8:30 or watching the news, there are likely certain things you do each morning in normal times.

With "normal" thrown out the window during quarantine, night owls (such as myself) are left to deal with the temptations of alarm snooze buttons and the "yes, I'm still watching" Netflix prompt.

When you work from home, it's a lot easier to snooze right until your first call, roll out of bed and look presentable enough for the Zoom. Which means skipping any form of relaxing, centering, prepping-for-the-day morning routines.

With fewer scheduled events and fewer official work hours on the laptop, there may feel like less of a reason to maintain a consistent morning routine.

However, there are reasons it is important to have a morning routine.

For one, creating a simple, specific-to-you morning routine is crucial for teaching your brain to go into "work-mode." It signals to your brain functions, hey it's time to get up and it's time to think and be smart and stuff.

For you, this could mean a cup of coffee and a shower. For someone else, this could mean 20 minutes of morning yoga.

Whatever it is, repeating this each day (or as many days as you can, champ!) signals to your brain and body that you are getting ready for the day's tasks.

Let's relate this back to running performance. (I mean, as a pro runner, I have to).

At Under Armour's Running Summit, I learned a lot about the impact routine has on our general health and wellness. We were encouraged by professional performance experts to develop morning and evening routines to maintain a consistent and peaceful state within the body.

Getting to sleep quickly and deeply is crucial for recovery, both mentally and physically. A consistent routine before bed helps with sleep because it triggers your brain that it's time to shut down.

There are also specific things you can do to promote sleep, like rolling out your stomach. Crazy right?

What are some things you can do in a morning routine to increase your work from home productivity?

• walk the dog

• yoga routine or other fitness programs you enjoy

• made breakfast and coffee

• clean up your room or bathroom

When I started prioritizing a few healthy morning routine habits that I enjoy to the start of my day, I truly started having days with numerous productive hours.

Definitely going to repeat this as often as I can. Hopefully, I can trigger my body back into a healthy sleep schedule!

2) Create A Good Work Setup

I can literally not stress this one enough. As someone who's been working from home entirely for a while now, trust me on this one: you need a good work setup.

Okay, let me step back for a second. I was clear about my extreme excitement about a good work from home desk when I got one. But before I got that, I still found ways to make my situation as best as I could.

It's just so much easier to be productive when you're in a positive and inspirational environment.

A lot can go into making the perfect work from home desk space, but where to start?

Ask yourself what the function of your space is and use that to guide the changes you make. I was at my desk all day, but trying to do workouts either in the morning or at night. Sitting all day is not good for that.

The standing desk I got changed my whole life and made me feel so, so much better. I adore it. It's from Flexispot, and you can check it out here with $30 to shop if you choose to purchase something.

Function

I need my desktop to have enough space for a laptop, mouse, and office tools.

I need to be able to organize work for multiple jobs and clients.

I need to store my PILES of notebooks and planner accessories.

Thinking about all of this helped me determine what organizational pieces I needed on top of my desk and the number of outlets I needed to make sure I had.

Clutter-free so I can spread all those planners and notebooks out.

Organization & Cleared Space

Having an organized desk space increases productivity because you spend less time looking for things or picking up the mess that you've made throughout the day.

A cluttered and disorganized desk can make you feel overwhelmed, stressed, and generally less likely to think clearly.

What's the best way to organize your physical items and your thoughts? I love to-do lists and having a place to jot down thoughts throughout the day.

A cute whiteboard does the trick!

Another way I organize is with a DIY office supply wall holder that keeps some clutter off the desk.

Inspiration

Last, but not least, most definitely the most fun part to consider: Inspiration!

You are going to be working here, a lot. And depending on your situatuon, you might be living or cooking nearby too.

Making the space motivational is just as practical as having a file cabinet.

I love having a few of my favorite quotes on my corkboard, along with some pictures of family and my dog!

Make sure you choose carefully, too much of this could be a distraction or cause clutter.

I also find inspiration in a well-decorated setup, and the amount of thought I put into the color and style of my space is a testament to that.

Need inspiration? Check out these desk space Pinterest Boards that I CAN'T get enough of.

• Inspired Work Spaces

• Inspiration- Desk Area & Work Space

• My Future Studio

3) Move Around & Schedule Breaks

Sometimes work from home actually makes you feel the need to do more.

When you're sitting at home, you're more likely to notice projects or chores that need doing around the house.

You're commuting less so there's more time available to do things.

And of course, in the midst of quarantine, we all got a little antsy.

But not letting yourself take breaks—even when you're working in your pajamas at home—is a quick way to put yourself on a path towards unproductivity.

Moving around during the workday helps you avoid the health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle.

What's more, taking breaks to move around actually increases productivity! With more blood flowing around your body, you can get more oxygen to your brain and feel more alert and energized to work throughout the day.

Working from home, it's so easy to roll out of bed and head straight to your couch or desk—maybe stopping for a cup of coffee or breakfast food along the way.

And then the next time you look up, hours have passed and you haven't eaten or moved! Don't force yourself to keep working without breaks.

Even if this is productive at first, you'll probably end up burning out. Your brain needs a break from all of your endeavors, no matter how much you love doing them.

At the start of the day, especially if you know you have a lot of work or calls to do, physically enter "take a movement break" into your schedule every hour.

Or set an alarm that goes off periodically throughout the day. At the very minimum, STAND UP take a walk around the room!

RELATED POST: Exercises to Do When Working From Home

Work From Home Productivity

Hopefully these 3 tips for improving productivity while working at home help you get back to feeling positive about your work setup and functioning better!

It may be hard now, but cherish the time to work from your pajamas.

Maybe someday in the future, you'll be back to early morning commutes...so enjoy this while it lasts!