Moving to work from home, when you’re used to being in an office environment, can be really tough. It can be so different getting used to working alone, without colleagues to quickly talk to.

Video calls and other meetings can take some getting used to as well. Throw in having other family members at home and other distractions, and it can be a recipe for some inefficient working and a lack of productivity.

If you want to boost your productivity this year, whether that be in your work life, your home life, and personal life, then here are some tips to help you get on the right track. 

1. Minimize

Cutting down in different areas of your life is something that can help your productivity. When you have less to think about or worry about, it can help you to be more productive.

You will be more productive in your work life when you minimize what is going on in your personal life. You will also be more productive in your personal life if you minimize what is going on in your work life.

Minimizing around the home can massively help productivity too. When you have less, you will have fewer distractions, letting you focus on the things that you really need to focus on. 

2. Use Self Storage

If you are looking to reduce how much you have in your home, then looking into using a local storage facility can be a good idea. You might still want some of the things in your home, but you just don’t have the need of them right now, or have the space for them.

If you are someone who is working from home, then clearing a room to be your home office could be what you need to do to boost how efficiently you are able to work, so again, is where a local storage facility could be most helpful.

3. Say “No”

As part of minimizing what you do in your life, you need to learn the art of saying no. It can be hard to start saying no to people, especially if you have been someone who has been used to just saying yes for your whole life.

Saying no can actually be quite freeing, as it means that you’re not putting pressure on yourself to do things for other people.

Saying no allows you to be more productive with the areas of your life that you want to improve, rather than them not even being a priority.

4. Prioritize

Speaking of priorities, when you do this, it is going to make such a difference in your life and how productive you are. It can be easy to get distracted with smaller things, but there may be one larger priority that needs your attention. If you find yourself getting distracted or moving on from tasks before they are finished, think about getting a white board or something similar where you can plan and prioritise the most important tasks for the day, week and month. Having a visual representation of your priorities will help you manage them effectively.

Being more productive can come from prioritizing so it is something that you need to start doing in all areas of life, from work to home life. Think about what is most important at that moment.

5. Finish Essential Tasks First

The simple tasks are the ones that we always want to do, right? We know what to do and they are within our comfort zone.

However, if you are looking to be more productive this year, then you need to make sure that you start doing all of the essential tasks first, before moving onto other areas.

When you do this, you will have more time to dedicate to other areas, and you will be working in a really productive way.

6. Take Productive, Meaningful Breaks

You might think that it sounds a little counterproductive to take breaks, but when you just keep working and working, it can exhaust you, which won’t help productivity in the long term.

When you take regular breaks, and do something worthwhile with them, it helps you to come back refreshed, and ready to carry on with the tasks in hand.

So think about going out for a walk or a jog on a lunch break or cooking yourself a nutritionally balanced meal, rather than just scrolling social media. You’ll find that you come back ready to work much more focused, and ultimately, more productive. 

Being more productive isn’t going to happen just by accident. You need to make it a focus in your life, and it will make such a difference. Plan, organize, and try out these tips, and you will be on the right path to a much more productive year, in all areas of your life.