How to Be Productive During the Lockdown

The whole world is dealing with the global pandemic of Coronavirus in their own ways. From self-isolations to government-imposed lockdowns for the safety of its people, the people are taking a break from the usual routine. And thus, you are left with a lot of time at home! So how do you use it productively? Being productive is still the best way to take advantage of all the extra time you now have on your hands. Here is the list of things you can follow to be productive during the lockdown.

Keep yourself updated

Remember all those articles you’ve bookmarked but never read? Or those abstract which you read hurriedly, meaning to get back to reading the full text when you have more time? Now is the perfect time to revisit your bookmarks or your reference manager, and get some serious reading done. Give yourself a break from reading COVID-19 news and create a window of time to keep yourself updated on literature from your field.

Organize your notes

This might not be the most thrilling way to pass the time, but now you’re not downing pints at the Student Union bar, you can finally organize all those loose bits of reading material and lecture notes floating around your room.

Create a Separate Workspace

One of the problems with working from home is that you start mixing your work and leisure time. Don’t fall for the temptation to work from your bed. Now, most of us students do not have that much space, but if you can, set up your workplace in another room. If you have to work in your bedroom, you should make one corner of it your office space.

Sharpen your existing skills

This home isolation can be an amazing time to sharpen your existing skills. With abundant free online resources, it will not be hard to find the right tutorials that will help you strengthen your knowledge of the technology you are working with for years. 

Dress up like an employee

Wearing a pyjama and having scattered hair is nowhere going to boost your confidence while you work from home. Role-playing helps you get more results for your efforts. So, wear an office dress, comb your hair properly, and make yourself look like an office employee before starting the work. It will significantly make you more confident and boost your morale. This example has been seen in one software development company in India to boost the morale and discipline in the office staff.

Keep a blog or journal

Keeping track of your thoughts, activities and learning is always a good idea - and a highly productive one at that. You might look back at this time and process your memories or even process your thoughts for the day or the week that has passed. You can do this privately on your computer, mobile or even better in a notebook.

Plan your day

It is not all work and study. It is very vital that you plan your day and include other activities like rest breaks, exercise and time to socialize. Throughout this era, a day represents a replacement challenge. If you plan them effectively, not only will they pass by more quickly, but you will also take better advantage of them.

Set Regular Lunch Hours, Take Breaks and Stretch your Body

When you’re in your own home, it can be tempting to spend time preparing an exquisite breakfast and lunch for you, chopping, and cooking included. Don’t waste precious hours making your food the day of work, cook it the night before. Also, exercise, stretch your body, walk 5 or 10 minutes every hour around your house.

Be productive at work

This mainly applies to people working from home. Remote working should not be an excuse to work less. Instead, plan your day in advance, do everything in accordance with your timetable to avoid time wastage, and make sure you are working from a comfortable place, free from distractions.

Personal Development

Speaking of picking up new skills, you can also opt for short courses and certification programmes. These are not as extensive as a university degree, but you have the option to focus on specific subjects or skills. To learn digital marketing, for example, you just need to find a suitable course on platforms like Coursera and Udemy. Plus there are free resources on Trans4mind that will help you a great deal.

Organise Your Home

There has truly never been such an opportune moment to organise your home and get rid of all those possessions that you no longer need. Why not you look back at the lockdown as the time organised your home; think about the kitchen cupboards, wardrobe, and bath cabinet – all of the spaces that can be neglected.

Many of us have wished for more time at home to get things done, and, well, now we have it. Using this opportunity to do some cleaning and organising will not only make you feel more in control and save you time later, but it will also give you a sense of renewal and accomplishment.