Productivity Tips for Home Working

Occupational therapy, in short, is about maximising a persons ability to undertake what they want and need to do in their life and providing solutions to barriers which prevent them from doing this. We often work with clients who have sustained injury and/or experience ill mental and physical health. But did you know an Occupational Therapist can also work with you to improve productivity and maximise efficiency in your day to day life!

For more information on our Occupational Therapy services have a look at our webpage.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost every workplace and shifted the way in which they operate, for example, there’s now a huge increase in home working. We have some top tips recommended by an Occupational Therapist that you could try when working from home!

1. Take regular breaks.

It’s imperative to your wellbeing that you take at least a 5-minute break in between big tasks and meetings/video calls. Use this time to stand up, stretch, rehydrate or even go outside for a few minutes.

Those few minutes away from the screen is enough to refocus you.

2. Find the right workspace for you.

If working from home, you need to find a suitable working space, preferably in a quiet room with a desk you can sit at. If you are working in a smaller space at home, designate an area that you can close up at the end of the day, and if you have more space, for example, a home office, then at the end of the day it’s vital to your wellbeing that you completely walk away from it and close the door.

Working in bedrooms should be a last resort, because that is your area of rest, not work.

It is also important to regularly stretch your neck, shoulders, and back, here is a short youtube video explaining some simple stretches.

3. Set days for video calls. 

Have set days for video calls in your diary, and try to stick to them! For example, take Monday’s and Friday’s as your ‘admin’ days, and keep Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday for video calls with clients and colleagues. This gives you 2 days away from the camera, and a chance to recharge your batteries. We spoke about video call fatigue in a previous blog, you can read it here. 

4. Write manageable to-do lists. 

The key here is to write a list with a maximum of 5 tasks on it, this will make your day seem much more manageable, and in turn, will put you off procrastinating. Not only will it stop you from avoiding the list, but it will also provide you with a greater sense of achievement once you have worked your way through it! It’s all about not setting yourself up to fail. And if you have more than 5 tasks to complete, make separate lists for different areas in your work and personal life.

5. Stop multitasking.

It is very easy to become overwhelmed when starting and stopping multiple tasks at once. In fact, we as humans are not even very good at it. So, stop trying! Instead, try to stick to one task at a time, and allow for plenty of short rest breaks, this will essentially ‘reset your attention’ and help you to feel less overwhelmed.

6. No screentime before bed.

Using your Phone/IPad/laptop in the evenings can stimulate your brain which is not what you want before trying to sleep. Studies have tested the effects of using iPads and laptops for up to 5 hours before bed. It seems that the natural evening rise in melatonin (a hormone that makes us ready for sleep) is not affected by 1 hour of bright screen light, but it is after 1.5 hours. 

So, after 1.5 hours of technology use in the evening people report feeling less sleepy. They also do better on mental performance tests and their brainwaves suggest increased alertness. Repeated use of a bright screen over 5 days can delay the body clock by 1.5 hours. Make sure you have a bedtime routine which includes ‘wind’ down activities such as taking a bath, preparing for the next day by making lunch and packing your work bag the night before. Aim to get off screens 1.5 hours before you want to sleep and you might see yourself drifting off at your bedtime. No one works well when they are tired and it could be your phone that’s causing this! 

7. Hydration is key.

Our levels of productivity increase as we drink water, according to a study by the University of East London. Researchers found that a humans brain is better able to focus on tasks after he or she has enough water to drink. The researchers tested one group who ate a plain breakfast and a second group who drank water after breakfast. Subjects in the second group performed 14% quicker. According to the researchers, a thirsty person’s brain consistently sends the message of thirst to the body. Satisfying that thirst frees the brain’s attentional resources and improves a person’s ability to function, think and perform better. It also relieves dehydration that saps energy and creates tiredness. Drinking water eases dehydration and expands the brain’s grey matter.

It’s really that simple!

8. Breathe properly. 

The way you breathe affects your whole body, but most people do not know how to breathe correctly. Box breathing is a simple, yet effective relaxation technique which encourages you to ‘reset your breath’. It can help to relax the body, the mind and re-centre your focus. 

The method is straightforward:

1. Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds 2. Hold for 4 seconds 3. Exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds 4. Hold for 4 seconds. Repeat as necessary!

The science behind this:

Your body is constantly trying to maintain equilibrium. When you inhale, blood is drawn from your heart into the vasculature of your lungs. This creates a relative deficit of blood for the rest of your body. Your heart compensates by increasing the heart rate and pushing more blood to your body. When you exhale, blood returns to your body from your lungs and the heart slows back down. This increase in heart rate during inhalation and decrease during exhalation is known as respiratory sinus arrhythmia.

What are the benefits?

• Reduces physical stress in the body
• Positively affects emotions 
• Increases mental clarity, and focus
• Can help to improve future reactions to stress

But don’t just take our word for it, have a read of this article for more information. 

Why don’t you give our tips a try and let us know how you get on. We’d love to hear from you.