Raise your hand if you are a Productive Patricia who always tackles her whole to-do list each day. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
While we LOVE being productive, efficient, hardworking, and the ultimate #bossbabes, we absolutely struggle in this area at times. It can be hard to juggle work responsibilities, housework, appointments, kids, oven timers going off, dogs barking, you name it. Distractions are everywhere and we’ve been known to fall victim to those distractions a time or two (we see you Instagram…)
But here is where we drop some truth bombs on you (that maybe you weren’t expecting).
Over time, we have developed a secret sauce to being productive and getting stuff done and we think it’s time the world knows the ingredients. Not only will this help set YOU up for more success, you will look like the queen of all boss babes when you share these tips with your fellow work-from-home friends.
Are you ready to learn how to be the ultimate Productive Princess?
The Secret Sauce to Being Productive When You Work From Home
Tip #1: Start your work day with a 10 minute tidy up.
WOAH, did they really just start with a cleaning tip? Don’t hate! We are starting here because this is what we’ve found makes SUCH a big difference to our own productivity. Having a tidied home = having a less cluttered mind and that is MONEY for our productivity.
This does NOT mean the house has to be spotless. This does not mean that all the laundry has to be folded or the dishes put away. But a SHORT tidy up around the house, your office, even your bathroom will do something magic in your brain and help you to focus then on your work and your to-do list. Trust us on this.
Tip #2: Get a drink and a snack ready in advance.
Okay, you probably think we are treating you like a toddler right now. Just hear us out! It is statistically proven that people who work from home are MOST distracted by the idea of a drink, snack, or meal. Want to know why? Because the kitchen is RIGHT THERE, basically teasing them all day long.
Whether you have a big breakfast, do intermittent fasting, or have a specific diet regimen you follow, every single person needs to eat and drink throughout the day, even in their busiest time. Your brain WILL start to wonder about eating something after a few hours and to combat that brain debate, having a drink and a snack on hand, already by your work station, will save you from leaving your desk.
We are big fans of our drinks, from coffee, to ice water, to tea, to the occasional soda drink. This genuinely helps us to focus on our projects at hand when we have our drinks near us. A few sips every few minutes and we are cruising in productivity! (Don’t believe us? Try it!)
Tip #3: Make 2 to-do lists.
Now we are getting into the real stuff. The actual to-do list for your day is a recipe for your success, so it’s important to create it strategically. Whether you hand-write your lists or keep them on your computer, this applies.
We recommend creating 2 to-do lists per day. The first should contain ONLY 3 ITEMS. Yes, we are serious. These 3 items should be your non-negotiables and what you HAVE to complete today. Write out as much or as little as you need to complete these 3 tasks and separate it from the rest of your list.
Why is this so important? Because your brain needs to see 3 things on a list - not 25. Even if those 3 tasks have sub-tasks, write out the main 3 things that need to get done and mentally prepare yourself for tackling those 3 things first.
Note that these 3 items should be the priority and make you feel that if they were NOT completed by the end of the day, it would mess up your schedule, cause a delay, or simply create more stress. They need to be the big ones.
Your second to-do list can be everything else! The notes on certain projects you need to remember, the emails you need to reply to, or the various other tasks that are important, just not AS important as the main 3.
In our opinion, this can save you from focusing on the wrong things in the wrong order. Productivity Princess, here you come!
Tip #4: Turn off notifications.
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but nothing ruins a productive moment more than a few dings or rings. Even if you tell yourself, “I’m not going to answer that,” or “I don’t need to check that right now,” your brain will absolutely wonder who it is, what they need, or what you are missing.
Turning off your notifications will help you stay present in the moment and address your projects as needed. It won’t tempt you to check or look at your phone or emails because you don’t even know if messages are coming in.
While we absolutely understand keeping lines of communication open for emergencies, you can silence all but a certain number or numbers on most carriers. Definitely Google how to do that so you can be the most productive when it matters!
Tip #5: Celebrate your productivity!
Yes, we are those people who like to throw ourselves a party when we’ve completed something, big or small! It feels so good when you have tackled a long list of to-do’s or projects, stayed on track, or gotten something you were really dreading done, right? We believe in celebrating our productivity and that’s why this tip is on this list!
Your celebration could be a dance party (never too old for that!), a trip to get a treat, or even 5-10 minutes of scroll time. Whatever you want it to be, just factor it into your day because you deserve it!
Have you learned something new that you weren’t already doing? Maybe a perspective that can help you change up your routine or schedule? We hope you take these suggestions and see increased productivity immediately. For us, it’s been a game changer!
Business owners: Need help getting some design, branding, or marketing projects OFF your to-do list? Let us help you and allow you to focus on the other important elements of your business!