Looking to maximize your work from home productivity? Well you’ve come to the right place. Here are the 35 best work from home productivity hacks for you to implement into your daily routine to boost productivity.
1.) Show Up
The number one most important tip on this list: show up. Want to be productive at work? Show up. Want to wake up early and go for a run? Show up. Ready to get a good stretch in at yoga? Show up.
Start by showing up.
2.) Wake up early
Own your mornings by waking up early. I currently wake up at 5am and am considering an even earlier wake up call (edit: I’m now up at 4:45am on longer run days). I like to ease into the day with some yoga, drink some water, have a few sips of coffee, and then head out the door for a run.
Pro tip: lay your clothes out the night before. This means one less thing to do early the next morning.
I’m using the free Nike Running Club marathon training plan so mileage varies (check out all of the free workout tools I’m using here). I’m typically back home by around 7am or earlier – enough time to get cleaned up and wake up the kids to start their morning routine.
By 7am, I already feel great mentally because I’ve accomplished something. This momentum carries me throughout the day.
3.) Get Dressed in “Day Clothes”
I personally feel more productive after putting on a nice pair of jeans as opposed to pajama pants (don’t get me wrong, I love some comfy pajama pants). I may put on a button-up if I have video calls scheduled, but I prefer 1/4 zip pullovers and similar types of shirts.
In the heat of summer, a polo does the job just fine.
Getting myself together in the morning serves as a great example to my kids so they can get themselves together for the day too.
This also helps me carry on that feel good momentum throughout the day.
4.) Eat a Healthy Breakfast
I’m getting pretty hungry post-run by now, and a healthy breakfast powers the mind as well as the body. This morning, I had a breakfast hash with hash browns, eggs, chicken, and some melted cheese. Check out this easy, gluten-free recipe here.
5.) Caffeinate
I like to chase breakfast down with a delicious homebrewed latte. It’s hard to beat some fresh ground espresso beans followed by fresh brewed espresso. I steam about a 1/2 cup of milk which froths closer to a full cup, mix that in, and on days when I have a sweet tooth, I add a touch of chocolate syrup too.
My beverage of choice typically follows me into the office.
I originally had a Breville Express which lasted several years. I’ve since replaced it with a Breville Bambino and a hand grinder:
6.) Establish a Morning Routine
Having a morning routine plays an important role in setting yourself up for a successful day. It also helps you establish a series of queues to ease yourself into the start of the workday.
7.) Switching Gears into Work Mode
It’s important to have some physical ques to tell yourself it’s time for work. Aside from my morning routine, I swap my external peripherals (i.e., wireless mouse, keyboards, and DP monitor cable) from my personal computer to my work laptop docking station. I then sit down at my desk, swing my monitors (on monitor arms) into the “work position”, get logged in, and I’m now ready to focus on the tasks at hand.
8.) Have a Designated Work Space
Having a designated work space plays a key role in my personal productivity. I love my desk setup with the monitors at just the right height and angles, my chair and desk height adjusted for ideal ergonomics, my silent keyboard and wireless mouse, and my fully charged headset all ready to go.
Sure, I can pack up my laptop and go mobile when needed, but for me, nothing tops my personal workspace.
9.) Pomodoro Technique
Distraction can happen throughout the day, and it can be tempting to put off a difficult task. One way to overcome this is to use the Pomodoro technique.
Here are the six steps according to Wikipedia:
1.) Decide on the task to be done
2.) Set the pomodoro timer: typically 25 minutes (I went with this magnetic one to match my desk setup:
3.) Work on the task
4.) End work when the timer rings and take a short break (typically 5 to 10 minutes)
5.) If you have finished fewer than three pomodoros, go back to Step 2 and repeat until you go through all three pomodoros
6.) After three pomodoros are done, take the fourth pomodoro and then take a long break (typically 20 to 30 minutes). Once the break is finished, return to Step 2.
During this time, it’s important to minimized or completely eliminate external distractions (i.e., no phone).
Here’s the timer I went with:
10.) Get Outside
Taking breaks outside allows me to catch some sun and take in some fresh air. It’s also a nice change of scenery away from all of the digital device we surround ourselves with. Take in a few moments to recharge and refresh.
11.) Workout or Walk During Part of Lunch
I don’t think I’ve ever needed a full hour eat lunch. If the weather was terrible for my morning run, this is my second chance to get a run in. We had a thunderstorm here this morning. I snoozed a few time and decided to start my day with yoga but no run.
By lunch, the weather cleared up, and I knocked out my run then.
I’m also a big fan of sandbag training. You can get in a great workout in 20-40 minutes. Some days, I do two-a-days with a morning run followed by an afternoon or evening strength/conditioning workout.
If working out isn’t your thing, a walk will do the trick. Get outside and get moving.
12.) Eat a Healthy Lunch
Diet is even more important than exercise. It’s important to eat a healthy lunch to carry us (mentally and physically) through the rest of the day.
13.) Find Your Routine and Finish the Workday Strong
I personally prefer to knock out calls after lunch. My inbox is cleared out, and by now, there’s not much work items on my list that will distract me while completing other work tasks. This allows me to focus on calls, be fully engaged, and have quality calls.
You may have to experiment a bit on your work tasks to find which tasks to complete at what times throughout the day.
14.) Wrapping Presents
A manager of mine once said that it’s important to end the day like you’re wrapping up a present. Get everything nice, neat, and organized, wrap it up, put a bow on it, and place it aside.
This allows me to cast it out of my mind at the end of the workday, prepares me to switch gears to personal life, and limits work distractions from entering my mind once I’ve logged off for the day.
15.) Switching Gears (Again!)
Just like Step 5 but the opposite. I swing my monitors into position for personal, disconnect peripherals from the docking station, and connect them to my PC.
I get up and get out of the office prior to firing up the PC. It’s important to get out of “the office”, step away from the screens, and get another change of scenery.
16.) Get Outside
If weather allows, it’s time to get outside again. I enjoy playing in the yard with my kids, taking them to parks, or hiking on trails. If sports are in season, we’re usually racing against time to get them loaded in the car and to the ballfields.
If the weather isn’t cooperating, one option is to head over to the gym. Our gym has a fun play center for the kids, and this is another opportunity to make up for those missed workouts later in the day.
Some days, it’s nice to stay home and bum around with the kids. We usually do a Friday Night, Movie Night here. Some weeks, we have a bonus movie night.
17.) Evening Routine
Having an evening routine is just as important as having a morning routine. My evenings are reserved for family time. I have three kids and two are in school. There’s no telling what specifically may be on the evening agenda, but I do know I’ll be spending it with family.
18.) After Hours
After hours (i.e., when the kids are asleep) are reserved for my hobbies. I enjoy working on this blog, journaling, writing poetry, reading, catching up on shows (will the new Mandalorian ever be released!?), gaming, and more.
19.) Journal Before Bed
I highly recommend journaling before bed. Remember when we wrapped up the presents to end the workday? Think of this as a similar technique for wrapping up your thoughts on your work and personal life.
Getting my thoughts out on paper helps me sleep easier at night. Journaling can consist of list building, planning, or simply getting thoughts out on paper.
The Traveler’s Notebook is my personal favorite:
20.) A Healthy Dinner
Same as breakfast and lunch – just later in the day. I have cheat days and am looking forward to the next time we pick up pizza!
21.) Enjoy a Comfortable Sleep Environment
I can’t count all of the hours of sleep I’ve lost due to trying to sleep on the couch or uncomfortable bed. Get your sleeping area setup to where it’s 100% comfortable for you, and set yourself up for success on a good night’s rest.
22.) Take Time Off
Take time off and enjoy it. Set up your out of office. Wrap up all the presents before checking out for a few days or weeks. Do your best to minimize or completely eliminate work distractions while you’re off, if possible.
Reenergize and come back completely recharged.
23.) Interact with Other Humans
Get out and about, and talk with people face-to-face. This can be at the grocery store, the park, a restaurant, etc. Bonus points if you have a hobby that includes seeing and speaking to other people.
24.) Have a Plan and Execute Said Plan
Having a routine (aka plan) in place makes it easier to build on and optimize your schedule. I prefer to block off times on my calendar to complete specific tasks during the work day. I also block out important dates throughout the month for personal events.
25.) Stay Hydrated
Seems simple enough. Keep a bottle of water at your desk, drink from it, refill as needed.
I’m a big fan of the blender ball shaker cup:
26.) Limit Phone Pick Ups
Limit the amount of times you pick up your phone during the workday. If you don’t require your cell phone during work hours, leave it outside of your office. You can always check it during your breaks.
27.) Meal Plan
Cooking can be time consuming and a lot of work if you don’t plan ahead. I try to simplify cooking as much as possible. One hack is to roast frozen vegetables in the oven while cooking up some chicken on the stove. Quick, healthy, easy.
28.) Minimize Multitasking
Focus on one task at a time. Don’t split your attention between TV and work. Even listening to music can be a challenge while focusing on tasks that require our full attention.
29.) Keep a Clean Workspace and Clean Home
This helps limit distractions and keeps you focused on the task at hand.
30.) Hold Yourself Accountable to Your Goals
Write your goals out on sticky notes and put them up around your monitor. This will remind you why you’ve showed up today, why you do what you do, why you’re here now.
Consider creating a visual “Dream Board” of your goals and using this as your desktop image.
31.) Get Inspired
Listen to podcasts, read book or listen to audiobooks, etc. There are many sources of inspiration out there in the world. I recently finished listening to Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins which has motivated me to up my goals.
32.) Have the Right Work Tools
It’s important to have the right tools in place to maximize productivity. This will vary depending on your work from home job. Here are a few of the tools I have in place to maximize my own productivity:
- Monitor arms to ensure my monitors are at the proper height and to easily move them around when needed
- Platronics Headset with built-in noise cancellation that links up via bluetooth and has a stand that doubles as the charger
- Custom built mechanical keyboard with silent switches so I can type without everyone hearing me type
- Proper desk lighting to ensure I’m well-lit during video calls
33.) Have the Right Personal Tools
Plan to go on morning runs? All you need are a pair of legs and some shoes (optional). I’ve made some additions over the years including a running belt (fancy term for fanny pack), a handheld water bottle holder thing that has a zipper pouch for extra storage, a bright jacket for increased visibility, and a headlamp for my runs before sun up.
Interested in working out at home? Consider sandbags, a pullup bar, or some resistance bands. If you have the budget and space, you can get a full-blown gym like The Rock.
You get the idea. Ensure you have the right tools to get on track or stay on track to accomplishing your goals.
34.) Listen to Your Body
There are some mornings I wake up early and feel dead tired. It’s ok to get some extra rest on the days you need it. If the work days have you worn down, take some time off. Listen to your body.
I sometimes struggle with overdoing it which can lead to burning out. Keep a good pace to ensure long-term success. Over time, you’ll learn when to forge ahead and when to scale back. Ideally, you’ll find that steady pace and won’t put much thought into it at all. You’ll know you have a good pace going when accomplishing tasks is automatic.
35.) Start Now
You can do all the research, get all the tools, come up with all the plans, but at the end of the day, you just have to get started. This takes us back to #1 on the list: show up!
What productivity hacks are you implementing into your day?
