4 Ways To Stay Productive During The Coronavirus
You're at home all the time now, or at least a lot more than you used to be. You don't have as much going on as you did before all the coronavirus started, but there is still plenty of things you could do or still have to do.
So how can you stay productive during these strange times? Is that even possible? While things look different and all of us most certainly won't be doing as much as we normally do, it doesn't mean we can't do anything.
To that end, here are four ways to stay productive during the coronavirus pandemic.
1. Schedule your workday, even if you have less to do
In times of change or in a decrease in responsibilities, it can be easy to still end up "working" the same amount of hours. Why? Because we get lazy. We know we have more time, so we don't focus as much as we should. Scheduling your day ahead of time is one of the most productive things you can do to be more productive, and this is even more important if you have less to do or are facing a different routine.
If you're like me, it's been hard to focus lately. My personal disciplines of checking social media three times a day and email only twice a day have gone out the window. And while trying and unknown times may cause a shift in what our days look like, we still need to commit to a routine. Otherwise, we will stay frustrated and anxious until life returns to normal again.
If you have less to do than normal, intentionally plan to shorten your workday so you can stay focused while you are working. Set a beginning and end to your workday and stick to it as best you can. It's better to have a shorter and more productive day than a long day that drags on unnecessarily.
2. Get dressed for work, even if you're staying home
If working remotely or with more flexibility is new for you, you may feel tempted to dress in whatever is most comfortable to you all day long. That's not a good idea.
Even if you're only working from home now, dress like you normally would for a typical workday. You don't have to dress like that all day, but you should during your scheduled working hours. Keeping at least some semblance of a routine will help you stay focused when it's time to get things done. It will also keep your brain focused knowing when it is time to work and when it isn't.
Dressing for work is a way of telling yourself that although your working environment may be different, your effort and productivity don't have to be.
3. Now is the time to experiment with something new
Given the radical change we are experiencing, now is the time you can try new things with minimal risk. After all, if it doesn't work, no one will fault you for trying to be innovative in the midst of change.
As a pastor, we are moving our church fully online during the pandemic. So we are trying a whole host of different things to see what sticks. If something doesn't work well, we will move on and try something else. Here are some of the new things we have or will be trying that we have never done before:
5 minute devotional videos
Taking communion over Zoom with our people
Having a prayer gathering over Zoom
Doing a mid-week service online on Wednesday night
Partnering with a local retirement neighborhood/community about ways we can help them
Creating resources pages on our church website for families and married couples
Personally, I've also been scheduling free coaching calls with church planters since my schedule has a little more flexibility than normal during these times.
People know things are different right now, so take advantage of it and try some new things you may have been wanting to do for a while.
And in the meantime, if you're looking for hope and inspiration during these difficult times, connect with New City Church on Facebook, YouTube, and our website.
4. Set clear expectations with family
If your spouse, and particularly your kids, aren't used to having you home as much, it can be hard for them not to interrupt you. The best way to reduce the conflict that will eventually follow is to set clear expectations of when and where you will be working. It may not be realistic not to expect any interruptions for a full workday, so proactively schedule when they will be.
Be flexible with your family as they also will have to be flexible with you. Everyone's routines and schedules are greatly impacted right now. The more we can set clear expectations, the better everyone will adjust to our current new normal.
You can still work from home and be productive. Come up with a plan and talk about it with your family. Unmet expectations are the biggest cause of frustration. When we are clear what our expectations are, they are much more likely to be met.
Breathe, but don't waste this time
It is perfectly ok to take this current season and slow down a bit. It's ok if you can't get as much done as you normally do, nobody can right now.
So take time to relax, but don't completely waste this time either. Take some risks and try some new things. You never know when things get back to normal what new skills you'll be able to take with you.