COVID AND PRODUCTIVITY!!!

2020 and Covid seems to be synonymous with each other now. It’s been close to 9 months. People have been living inside 4 walls. Right from doing household chores to work from home, people did it all.

With time their efficiency and productivity declined. Know the concept of marginal utility it exactly works like that. People are no longer working with the same zeal as they did at the starting of the lockdown.

Coming back to the main topic “Productivity “– It comes from the word “Productive “which means the quality of creating something at a high quality and quick speed. Being productive means one is able to do the task assigned in a quick and efficient manner.

Handling office calls to doing household work, People have been struggling to juggle between the two trying to maintain a balance between work and life making people bewildered on what to prioritize first.

Thankfully, there are some ways that will come in handy on balancing work-life balance and at the same time being productive.

1. Plan a day in advance — Yes, you heard that right. Planning a day in advance helps you to avoid getting in a situation of mess or complete chaos. Maintain a to-do list, jot down all the tasks to be done and act accordingly. In this way, efficiency will be maintained. You won’t miss out on the pivotal tasks and you will have spare time for other work as well.

2. Don’t miss out on exercise — With gyms, parks and sports complex closed. People have been cutting out on physical activity. If not doing the exercise regularly try doing them at least twice or thrice a week. It will not only keep you fit but also will help you to stay energetic throughout the day. “A healthy mind breeds a healthy body and vice versa”.

3. Avoid usage of Social Media Applications — We are social mammals so it becomes hard not to talk or communicate Social Media App which was actually developed as a communication tool over the internet. But it has become more than just a communication tool now. More like an addictive tool now. Try minimizing the usage of social media applications. . Social Media detox best way to cut down issues like anxiety, FOMO (FEAR OF MISSING OUT) to name a few.

4. Take Micro Breaks — Working for a straight 24hr is impossible especially during covid times when we have to juggle between work and family time. One of the best techniques to overcome this issue is the Pomodoro Technique. Pomodoro Technique follows the rule of 25/5. Which means work for 25 minutes and then take a break of 5 minutes. Interesting right!!!! One more such technique is to try the 20/20/20 Technique. Staring at a screen for the whole day is tough. One such technique to reduce eye strain is the 20/20/20 technique. Start staring at an object at a distance of 20 feet away for like 20 seconds every 20 minutes. A great way to relax and calm your eyes.

5. Happy state of mind — For being productive throughout the day, it is important to be in a happy state of mind. Being anxious or confused won’t help in making your day a fruitful day. To avoid indulging in negative thoughts, one can listen to good music. Music as proven by various researchers has been a great source of uplifting mood.

6. Prioritise your mental health — As said earlier a healthy mind breeds a healthy body and vice versa. Issues like mental health which were given no importance earlier are being given its due recognition now. Work is important it shouldn’t overpower it. Spend time with your family members, well-being should be the foremost priority. Don’t let the Pandemic situation take over you rather you should dominate it by being mentally and physically strong. Issues like stress, depression, anxiety bound to persist in times of uncertainties. We can only mitigate the same either by meditation and exercise. Try keeping a check on your loved ones, most importantly keep a tap on you, if you are happy then others will automatically be in a happy and jovial mood.

7. Organize your workplace — In the covid times, the home has become a new workplace. So it’s important to organize and make your little workplace as clutter-free as possible. Chose a place that is free from distractions like television, radio, and even family members. It should be designed in a way that you don’t have to look out for things after every minute. A proper designated place should be there for laptops, files, and stationery items. It should be used for business purposes. A place where work is work. Try not to make it all in one purpose. All you need is a good internet connection and a place to quietly work.

8. Built a new hobby — One of the best gifts lockdown gave us was free time. A time where we can do what we have been postponing or procrastinating all these years. Best way to escape from the hustle and bustle of life. So what are you waiting for?? !!!!

9. Keep yourself updated — Whether you are employed or unemployed, it is of utmost importance to stay up to date. Enhancing the existing skills or learning new skills is required to stay relevant to current times. Knowledge is like an ocean, the more you dig into it, the deeper it gets.

It will surely pave way for lucrative career paths.

10. A Healthy diet- Working all day long isn’t easy. To stay energetic and active all day long requires the intake of good nutritious food. Avoid Junk (tough to avoid) but try having home-cooked food.

Hope the above tips and tricks help you to stay productive even in these unprecedented times as well.

Good luck!!!!

Written by Kavita Batra for Young Engine.