Staying inside and being apart from your friends and family for a long period of time can be difficult. Here in Ottawa, we’ve been social distancing for over two months and during this time, it’s been very hard to stay motivated and productive. I enjoy working on school from home and I do a lot of work for my job at home as well, so luckily I’m used to this – I really like being able to take control and make my own schedule. With that experience, I thought I would be a good person to give tips and tricks on how to stay motivated and productive during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you’re in school and taking classes online or working from home, I’m here to help!
Make a To-Do List
First, make a TO-DO list and write an agenda. I do this everyday, and it really keeps me on track – I usually plan my week every Sunday. I will take a look at all of my assignments for school and work and everything else I need to get done, then write it all down in my agenda. Each day of the week, I’ll also write down every single thing I need to do that day on a to-do list. Even if it’s a small task, I highly recommend writing it down! This will ensure that you don’t forget, and gives you the satisfaction of crossing something off your list.
Leave the phone alone!
Secondly, leave your phone alone! I really love my phone (who doesn’t?) but sometimes I definitely know that I need a break from it. When I need to get things done I put my phone far away from where I’m working, and turn it on silent. This helps me stay focused and it’s actually very refreshing. Along with keeping your phone off, it’s also always a good idea to use a timer while you’re working. I use the timer on my watch and I typically set it for 30 minutes at a time, and then take a 5 minute break. This gives you that gratification of knowing you’ve done 30 minutes of solid work and that you deserve a quick break!
Maintain a Healthy Sleep Schedule
My third tip for staying productive is to maintain a healthy sleep schedule. It may be tempting to watch Netflix until 3am during this time (since we’re all stuck at home), but let’s be honest – that isn’t the best idea. Personally, I go to bed between 11 and 11:30pm. Going to bed at a reasonable time is a habit I’ve adapted so that each day, I can wake up early and be productive. I’ll usually get up between 8 and 9am – this gives me a bit more sleep than I was used to while still in school, but enough that I’m energized and ready to conquer the day. It’s super important to get a good night’s shut-eye, especially to be sure you’ll be able to check everything off of your to-do list!
Get Ready!
My last tip for staying motivated and productive during this pandemic is to get ready each day. Even though we can stay in our sweats all day, I feel that it’s actually best to get ready every morning. For me this means waking up, eating breakfast right away, then getting changed into a cute outfit. Afterwards, I do my skincare routine, my hair, and brush my teeth. This routine gives me a sense of feeling normal during the pandemic, and makes me already feel productive as soon as I get up.
That concludes my tips and tricks for staying motivated, productive and organized during the COVID-19 pandemic! With all of this being said, we all have our “off days”. I know I do! We’re allowed to feel relaxed during this time – It’s actually a good thing. In fact, this is the perfect time to take some chill days since we have to stay home. But we all have things to do during this time whether it’s school, work or house chores, and that stuff needs to get done! I hope these tips help you become more productive, organized and motivated during this pandemic. Take care everyone!
The Mutual Muse 