Productivity Hacks during Quarantine!
How to Make the most of your time at home during the Pandemic?
I know being stuck at home for weeks at end may be daunting for some of you, but while we’re here, let’s be super productive and utilize all the free time to our advantage to come out as an entirely new person at the end of the quarantine period. Here are some hacks that I swear by:
1. Have a Morning Routine and Stick to it!
I know that’s hard since you don’t technically have to go anywhere, but having a simple morning routine can provide you a kickstart to the day and is essential for keeping you physically, mentally and spiritually charged.
Wake up at the same time daily and your circadian rhythm will thank you for it. Customize your routine according to your goals. I recommend not snoozing your alarm, making your bed first thing in the morning, freshen up, drink warm water, write your daily goals in the To-do-list, work-out, meditate and stretch, shower and put on new clothes daily (even if that’s just new pair of shorts and hoodie) and enjoy your cup of coffee!
2. Plan your Day!
You can use a notebook, whiteboard or an app on your phone to write the most important tasks you aim to accomplish today. Prioritize the tasks and try to keep them doable. I say that because I am guilty of continuously allowing my intentions to eclipse my abilities and if I don’t stop myself, I often write down way more tasks than I can realistically get done in any single day.
Divide a bigger task into multiple smaller chunks.
At the end of the day, reflect back, optimize and repeat!
3. Work on your Long-Term Goals!
Now is the perfect opportunity to work on yourself and bridge the gap between the person you are currently and the person you aspire to be, physically, financially, intellectually or all the above.
What were your resolutions at the beginning of this year? How many did you actually achieve successfully? If not, utilize this time to make amendments to your lifestyle that will bring you closer to your goals.
Dedicate two to three hours solely for this goal, keeping aside all interruptions and excuses.
4. Get Healthy
Consider this as a perfect opportunity to work towards a healthier lifestyle, after all, who doesn’t aspire to look fit and fabulous?
Inculcate an exercise routine. You don’t need fancy gym equipment for working out. Try using the workout plans provided by the free app — Home workout.
5. Cook and Eat Healthy
Take out time to search for healthy, low calorie, high protein recipes and include them in your daily diet.
While you’re developing your cooking skill, your body will surely thank you!
6. Declutter: Your surroundings and Your Mind.
Before you start working on your to-do-list, set a timer for 10-minutes and speedily tidy your workspace and the room. Arrange everything you could potentially need to minimize distractions and unnecessary breaks later. Remember, a clean workspace is a productive workspace.
Now that you’re tidy and ready to dive-in, take a moment to declutter your mind. I use guided meditation to help me with this. Some of the helpful apps are Insight timer, Headspace, Simple Habit.
Just like a tidy desk, a peaceful mind is way more productive than a mind with thousands of tabs open, which would eventually slow down your processor.
7. Learn a new skill or cultivate a new hobby
It is the perfect time to explore and learn something beneficial. Read new books, Learn a new language, work on your social skills or simply become a better family- person.
Utilize this time to socialize over video calls and texts. Connect with family or long lost school-friends.
Instead of endlessly scrolling on social media, play board games with your family and bond with them.
