Boost Your Work-from-Home Productivity with These Simple Tips

These small but impactful habits have transformed my workdays, and they can do the same for you. Over time, this tiny habit has significantly improved my energy levels and overall productivity.

Aug 08, 2024

Productivity Tips: Use the Pomodoro Technique for focused work and active breaks.
Health Advice: Stay hydrated and incorporate stretching to boost well-being.
App Recommendations: Find helpful apps like Pomofocus, WaterGlass, and StandUp for your daily routine.

Working from home can be incredibly rewarding, offering flexibility and eliminating the daily commute. However, it also comes with its own set of challenges. As a freelance copywriter with a couple of years of experience working from home, I've learned that keeping productivity and wellness levels high requires a well-structured routine.

I have days when I don't leave the house at all, and it's necessary to be vigilant to prevent this sedentary style from working against you. That's why, since the beginning of 2024, I have decided to eat the elephant one bite at a time and implemented minor tweaks to the way I work that have given me great results.

Here are some recommendations that will help you get the most out of your work-from-home time, with special attention to active breaks, hydration, and regular stretching.

Active Breaks and Pomodoro Technique

Since the pandemic, one of the most significant lessons I have learned is the importance of taking regular active breaks. When you're focused on a project, it's easy to lose track of time and work for hours on end, especially if you are in "the zone." However, this can be counterproductive as sitting for too long without interruption can lead to health problems such as back pain and eyestrain, ultimately reducing your overall work performance.

To combat this, I've found the Pomodoro technique incredibly effective. This time management method involves working for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. After four sessions, you take a longer break of 15-30 minutes. If you are wondering why it has such a peculiar name, Pomodoro means "tomato" in Italian and comes from the tomato shape of the kitchen timer used by the technique's creator, the Italian Francesco Cirillo, when he was a university student.

During my 5-minute breaks, I make it a point to stand up, walk a few steps, drink a glass of water, or do a quick stretch. These short bursts of activity help me reset and return to work with a refreshed mind. Several apps are available to help manage your Pomodoros, such as Focus Booster or Tomato Timer, which can be great tools to keep you on track. As I mainly work with my computer, I prefer to use a website called Pomofocus, which is very easy to use.

This is what Pomofocus looks like. You can set the length of your work cycles and breaks, note which tasks you are working on, and even integrate them with some applications.

The importance of hydration in your daily routine

Yes, you have to drink water. Yes, I know it sounds obvious. No, you are probably not drinking enough water throughout the day. Staying hydrated is crucial to maintaining concentration and overall health. However, many of us overlook it when we're engrossed in work. I used to be so absorbed in writing that it would be hours before I realized I hadn't sipped water. And no, coffee or tea does not count as hydration.

Even if you are a coffee-fuelled hardcore productivity rockstar, you should drink more water during the day. Caffeine acts as a diuretic, which means that if you drink several cups of coffee over the day, you run a greater risk of suffering the effects of dehydration. The chances of suffering fatigue, migraines, and general ill health if lost water is not replenished are greater.

What is the target we should aim for? Two liters of water per day, which is approximately eight glasses of water. To address this, I started using a tracker app. In my case, I prefer a website-based option as I am in front of the computer almost all day, and I have reached a point where it bothers me to keep adding unnecessary apps to my phone. For this case, I use WaterGlass, which goes right to the point. Click on the glass every time you drink, and try reaching at least eight glasses daily.

Over time, this tiny habit has significantly improved my energy levels and overall productivity. You would be amazed at the drastic reduction in the number of headaches I have had since I started meeting the goal of drinking 2 liters of water per day. Don't underestimate it.

This is how WaterGlass looks like. It's nothing fancy, but it's exactly what I need.

The Importance of Stretching

Raise your hand if, during your breaks from work, you use the time to check your phone and catch up on social media. This is not the way breaks should be, and it's not good for your body or your brain if the concept of a break is to go from the computer screen to the phone screen. Months ago, I set out to change this routine and incorporate real active breaks into my work-from-home routine.

To do this, I dusted off a yoga mat and downloaded an app with exercises and reminders. The huge advantage of working from home is that you can take a break and stretch without the embarrassment of Karen from Accounting seeing you. I opted for the free app StandUp: Sedentary Helper for IOs. You can set it up with your work schedules and every hour, it notifies you to take a few minutes to stretch your neck, shoulders and back.

The app has a section of recommended exercises that are very simple to follow and varies them so they are not repetitive. Simple exercises such as rotating the shoulders, stretching the neck, or leaning forward while standing can make a big difference in avoiding contractures and relaxing the muscle fibers.

This method is also an excellent way to protect eye health. With each break, you take your eyes off the screen and look at something 6 meters away for at least 20 to 30 seconds. This helps reduce eye strain and prevents headaches.

This is just a part of the exercises that the application suggests during the breaks. They are easy, varied and have videos showing how to perform them.

These micro-breaks help me prevent discomfort and improve my concentration and productivity when I return to work. The relief might not be immediate, but if you start doing it, you will see an improvement in the medium term, preventing discomfort and improving your focus and productivity when you return to work.

Conclusion and My Take

Two tabs on my web browser and an application on my phone don't seem like much when you think about it, but since I started using these tools regularly, I have seen significant improvements in my well-being. Working from home offers unparalleled flexibility, but it also requires a disciplined approach to maintaining productivity and health and creating a balanced and productive work-from-home routine.

These small but impactful habits have transformed my workdays, and they can do the same for you. Remember, taking care of yourself is the key to sustaining long-term productivity and enjoying the benefits of remote working.