1 Create a structure that works for you. Keeping a record of how you work, and when you are most productive will pay dividends in terms of productivity. When you’ve identified your peak productive times, make sure you use them for work much as possible. e.g. Many people do their best thinking and have their best ideas in the morning.
If this is you, then avoid scheduling meetings in the morning, unless it's a creative meeting to invent something together with your colleagues. If on the other hand you are energised talking to people first thing, schedule a virtual cup of coffee with colleagues or get on a video call with friends or family to kick-start your day.
Saving the mornings for deep thinking & scheduling meetings for after lunch, when your brain craves interaction to stay awake is beneficial for many people. Experiment & see what works for you.
As well as a structure, having a daily plan is really important. At the end of the day, spend 20 minutes planning by the hour what you are doing tomorrow, so you know what you are doing and can get stuck in straight away. And vary your schedule too sometimes, changing things up when we are at home all the time, makes it more interesting.
2 Get rid of obvious time wasters. Shut down your emails and shut down your notifications. Jumping from one task to another can play havoc with your productivity, so don’t let notifications distract you from the job at hand. Also if there are websites you spend too much time on when you should be working, make sure these sites and apps are blocked during work hours. Commit to dealing with your inbox twice a day – once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
3 Take good care of yourself. If you are at home and not exercising and eating too much junk food you won’t feel great or be very productive. Watch what you eat, it will effect your energy levels and impact the way you think. If you eat biscuits & ice cream, you won’t give your brain the fuel it needs. It’s about performance – if you want to be a top athlete you don’t eat rubbish, it won’t keep your brain sharp. As a very successful man once said to me – you’ve got to stay sharp for business.
Eat light, rather than heavy or stodgy food. Something like a smoothie or scrambled eggs for breakfast, fish and salad for lunch followed by a dinner of vegetables and protein. Keep up the exercise - schedule in at least 30 minutes exercise even if it’s just going for a walk. Getting a sweat on triggers the happy hormones and helps us concentrate better. Also, get up and stretch every hour. Make good quality sleep (getting to bed early) a priority too.
Enjoy the productivity!