7 Productivity Hacks for Staying Focused While Working from Home
Do you ever feel like you’re spending hours working, yet nothing of substance is really getting done? Or maybe you’re finding yourself feeling brain fatigue, tiredness, or you’re just plain burnt out for the day as early as ten or eleven in the morning.
Whether you’re in the office or working from home, distractions are everywhere. So the big question is, how can we get more done every day while also spending less time at our desks?
In an article on Medium, Writer, Jari Roomer shared his top 7 tips for productivity at work. Roomer is named Editor of Personal Growth Lab at Medium and is a crowned a “Top Writer” in Productivity for the popular publishing platform. We believe now, more than ever before, productivity hacks like those in Roomer’s article are extremely applicable to our daily lives — lately it seems everyone is working from home and trying (maybe even struggling) to readjust to their new working conditions.
“All in all, those who are unfocused run around in circles, get very little (important) work done and eventually fail to achieve their goals. On the other hand, those who are able to [use these hacks] to focus well get things done — both fast and of high quality.”
Jari Roomer, Medium
The ZUM team has been well versed in the work-from-home lifestyle for years, and the current change in workplace climate experienced by many corporate workers in the last four months has shown us the value in the productivity skills we’ve harnessed, many of which are listed in Roomer’s article. Whether you’re a seasoned remote worker or a newbie to working from home, within these seven productivity hacks there is something for everyone.
We’ve summarized Roomer’s tips in the infographic below, and you can check out original article on Medium here.
1. Consistently work in a dedicated deep work space
Whether it's a seat at your kitchen table or an entire home office, it is a must to dedicate one or two spaces specifically for doing deep work and nothing else.
WHY IT WORKS
The power of neuro-associations. Your brain is incredibly clever and will react to a situation based on associations like bed→ sleep, ice→ cold, and office → work.
2. Listen to binaural beats or techno music
Keep your mind occupied and cancel out potential distractions with music that increases the frequency of alpha brain waves, thus creating a stress-free head space.
WHY IT WORKS
Over time, you'll start to develop the neuro-association between these sounds and doing deep work. This means you'll find deep focus and concentration faster than before.
3. Do your best to remove all possible distractions
It takes on average 25 minutes to gain back full focus after a distraction (even if it's just a quick glance at your phone), so keep a clear work space with only the essentials.
WHY IT WORKS
A phenomenon called 'attention residue', which implies that some of your attention is 'left behind' at the previous task (or distraction) - a quick way to feel drained and less focused.
4. Set a specific goal for your focused deep work session
You need a clear, specific target for your deep work session so your brain can fully focus on its achievement. Whenever you lack clarity, you'll also lack focus.
WHY IT WORKS
Giving your mind something to focus on will allow your brain to go into problem-solving mode creating a deeper motivation to stay on task.
5. Do the deepest work in the morning
At the start of the day, our brains are sharper and willpower levels are at their highest. This makes us more capable of solving hard problems and focusing for long periods of time.
WHY IT WORKS
Willpower levels will decrease throughout the day as it's a limited mental resource that eventually runs out. This is why at the end of the day motivation lacks for tasks that require willpower, such as exercise, healthy eating, or deep work.
6. Work for 1-2 hours in a row, then recharge.
In 1-2 hours of hyper-focused deep work, you can get as much done compared to working 4-6 hours in a state of semi-distraction and you need shorter breaks in between.
WHY IT WORKS
Timing yourself for 1-2 hours allows your brain to stay sharp and short breaks between sessions keeps the momentum to return to deep work high.
7. Stay sufficiently hydrated throughout the day
Staying hydrated is incredibly important to your ability to you can dramatically improve the concentrate and focus performance of your brain by drinking enough water.
WHY IT WORKS
The brain consists of 75% water, so when we don't drink enough, we start to experience immediate effects to our performance, such as brain fog/fatigue, headaches, irritability, attention deficits, sleep disturbances, etc.