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7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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How to become moremotivated creative and
productive than ever before
by Ryan Wiggins
In 2014 I quit my office job and moved away from my home
country (Australia) so my family and I could chase down
some dreams Since then Irsquove settled in to life in one of the
most remote (and beautiful) places on the planet You
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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know one of those places where I could post those lsquoliving
the life of a digital nomadrsquo type photos from a laptop full
of sand
In stark contrast to the competitive fast-paced nature of
working in an office I now spend my days home-schooling
my daughter studying an MBA working with my business
partner to build our own company back in Australia writing
articles for my blog and monthly newsletter and squeezing
in some remote freelance consulting And I do it all from a
laptop in my home office
Without the structures and restrictions of the traditional of-fice I set my own priorities run my own agenda start work
when I want finish work when I want follow my own rou-
tine and never have the pressure of a boss or supervisor
looking over my shoulder I never get called into last minute
meetings nor am I ever distracted by co-workers or office
politics
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Just like almost a million other Australians and around
one in five Americans I work from home and it is awe-
some
But I havenrsquot always done it well Just like so many others
when I first considered working from home full-time I pic-
tured hanging-out on my couch in my tracky-dacks (sweats)
with a laptop and a cup of tea Sounds great right
Well I reproduced that exact scene for about the first month
of working from home and it was terrible It turns out doing
your best work at home takes more discipline than yoursquod re-alise After trying the lsquoslouch-on-the-couchrsquo approach I
found that my work and the way I felt about it suff ered
I was constantly distracted always procrastinating and hav-
ing to push hard right before deadlines to get things in on
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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time My stress levels were high and my motivation was low
Not a cool place to be especially since working from home
was supposed to be a dream come true So I did something
about it I created some rules started following some rou-
tines and redesigned my environment Now Irsquom more moti-
vated creative and productive than ever before
After I was interviewed by Paul Minors from The Productiv-
ity Podcast about how to be more productive while working
from home (click here to listen onlinemdashormdashclick here to
download the podcast) I put together this post to explore
some of the themes and tips that came out of our discussion
and share with you what I did and what you can do to be-come more productive at home
If you have any tips of your own for being productive while
working from home or if you have any questions or com-
ments be sure to highlight the passage of text that interests you select the comment option and pop them in to the com-
ments box that appears to the side of the article (awesome
Medium feature)
Without further ado here are my top tips for being produc-
tive while working from home
1 Dress for success Yes the idea of wearing whatever you want to work sounds
amazing and it is for a while But in my experience if yoursquore
wearing sweats on a daily basis (for example) it will only be
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a matter of time before your mood and your work starts to
reflect your attire Yoursquoll find yourself being lazy and produc-
ing sub-standard work
When you look good you feel good And when you feel
good you do good things As comfortable as your favorite
pajamas or sweats are they will hold you back from being
your best self and doing your best work
Irsquom not saying you need to suit-up every morning (thatrsquos forthe suckers who work in an officemdashno off ence) but you do
need to find a balance between utility (comfort) and profes-
sionalism (style) I find that the balance lies in the answers
to these two questions
1 Would I be comfortable welcoming my fathermother-in-
law (alternatively friends) into my home in what Irsquom wear-ing
2 Would I be comfortable popping down to the corner store
or the local cafe in what Irsquom wearing
If I canrsquot answer yes to these two questions I change To give
you an idea of how this looks for me most days I wear cargo
or dress shorts (I live in the tropics) and a clean pressed
logo-less T-shirt or polo When I have in-person meetings I
step it up to a pair of jeans and a blazer or just a polo if the
meetingrsquos via Skype or GoToMeeting or something like that
What you wear is completely up to you but I strongly encour-
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age you to use the two questions above to help you set the
tone for your day Yoursquoll be happier and more productive for
it
2 Create an energisingmorning routineMornings are the toughest part of my day Irsquom a night owl
always have been I do my best most creative work after
10pm (and love binge-watching any half decent television se-
ries which also keeps me up) so Irsquom awake until around 2am
at least a few nights out of the week
This makes it really tough for me to wakeup early and be
productive from the get-go All the more reason for me (and
you even if you are a morning person) to have a solid morn-
ing routine that helps you transition into work mode feeling
strong motivated creative and ready to hit the ground run-
ning
This is what my morning looks like right now
Wake up and get dressed
Water on my face and drink a big glass of cold water
Make breakfast while my wife gets ready for work
Breakfastmdashusually eggs a piece of toast and coff ee
Plan out my day (over breakfast)
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
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Spend a bit if time with my wife (morning time before
our little one wakes up can sometimes be the only quiet
time we get together all day)
My wife heads off for work
Tidy up after breakfast
Set myself up and get to work
This isnrsquot such a bad morning routine and for now it serves
its purpose But Irsquom always one to try and improve If yoursquove
read anything at all about the habits of the worlds mostproductive people yoursquoll know that most of them have a
killer morning routine that includes an early start and some
attention paid to the following three elements physical in-
tellectual spiritual
This usually translates into doing some kind of exercise
reading something that facilitates learning and practicing
meditation or some other way of becoming grounded or ex-
pressing gratitude for lifersquos blessings
So being the aspirational type Irsquove mapped out what Irsquod likemy mornings to look like and Irsquom working towards making
this routine habitual My ideal morning looks something like
this
bull
bull
bull
bull
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Wake up
Water on my face and drink a big glass of cold water
Pilatesmdash20 minutes
Quick shower and get dressed (hotcold)
Make breakfast while my wife gets ready for work
Breakfastmdashsomething healthy
Plan out my day (over breakfast)
Spend a bit of time with my wife before she heads off for
work
My wife heads off for work
Tidy up after breakfast
Meditation
mdash
10 minutes
Set my self up and get to work
As you can see Irsquom currently far form my ideal morning but
I persist in trying to make my morning routine better be-
cause I know it will make me better
The more I work at the ideal morning routine Irsquove designed
the more likely I am to form the habits I need to make my
ideal morning the norm Irsquove formulated a process for get-
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
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ting to my ideal morning To design and stick to your own
ideal morning routine try this
Write down what your morning looks like now Being
honest with onersquos self is the first step toward self-im-
provement and what gets measured gets managed So
by taking stock of what you do now yoursquoll see what
needs to change and how you can take action
Write down what yoursquod like your morning to look like
Your ideal morning Be ambitious and do some research
Pick morning activities that make you want to wake up
which help you to become healthier and happier and
that help you transition into your workday There are a
plethora of books and online resources out there that
can help Download Paul Minorrsquos book summary of
The Miracle Morning and see where that takes you Irsquove
also found MyMorningRoutinecom rsquos weekly newsletter
useful for inspiration and motivation
Re-write your current morning routine but with the ad-dition of one new element from the ideal morning rou-
tine yoursquove just created The first time I started this
process I added drinking a big glass of cold water Irsquod
read that doing this every morning would help me
wake up and would activate my metabolism both of
which sounded like big impact for little eff ort This made
it an easy win and put me on track to adding other morechallenging elements to my morning
Put your new morning routine up on your bedroom wall
or cupboard door so you can see it everyday and make it
easy to follow when you wake up Irsquom incapable of think-
1
2
3
4
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ing for around half-an-hour after I wake up so I use it
like a morning checklist so I donrsquot have to think I just
follow Repetition builds habits
Stick with this new morning routine for one or two
weeks or until the new element becomes a habit andpermanent part of your morning Then introduce one
more new element from your ideal morning and repeat
By focusing on adding just one new element to your morn-
ing routine at a time yoursquore more likely to actually do it and
make it a habit Donrsquot be discouraged if you fail on the up-
take of your new morning routine in the short term Form-
ing new habits takes time and your perseverance will be
worth it to start your day with more energy more focus and
better productivity
3 Create a dedicated
workspaceWhile I was at university I developed this really bad habit of
studying on couches and at coff ee tables As a result when I
got my first office job I really struggled to focus and work
comfortably at a desk
My co-workers would on a pretty regular basis find me
working with headphones in the staff lounge or the cafe
5
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down stairs I eventually
got used to working at a
desk (although I still
slipped out to more com-
fortable surrounds every
now and then and worked
from home whenever I
could) but never really felt
100 comfortable in my
office
When I started working
from home full-time I wasexcited to be back on the
couch Kicking my feet up
while reading laptop on
my lap while writing the
TV at a low roar in the
background (which I justified by saying it helped my keep
up with current aff airs) It was wonderful until deadlinesstarted looming and my focus was nowhere to be found
So I did some research As it turns out when you have re-
laxed or lazy body language you naturally become more
relaxed about your work and your productivity suff ers
The other thing that bothered me over time about working
from my lounge room was that I had to constantly set-up
and then pack-away my stuff before and after working
which was both annoying and time consuming
Between my lazy posture and spending who knows how long
setting up and packing up my productivity was suff ering
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So I built a little nook I bought some pine from the hard-
ware store and got to work putting together some simple
shelves and a little desk
It was perfect It didnrsquot take up a lot of space but it was big
enough for me to be comfortable With that as my primary
work option I was able to move between my nook the
couch and sometimes my backyard or the local cafe (dis-
cussed later) as I needed and never had to set-up or pack-up
my work stuff again
Irsquove recently moved house and now work at a desk in a room
which doubles as our classroom and my offi
ce Knowing thatthe room is only for work and home-schooling helps me to
separate life from work
When your work is always in sight itrsquos always on your mind
Having a dedicated workspace and being able to simply shut
the door when Irsquom not working means I can compartmen-
talise life and my work and can focus on whatrsquos important at
any given time
4 Keep your workspaceclean and organisedThis is one of the best ways to boost productivity People
tend to focus too much on what app they can use to boosttheir productivity when often itrsquos their physical environment
thatrsquos holding them back
Studies have shown that the average worker loses about
an hour a day to disorganisation Consider for a moment
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what that means in productivity terms
Letrsquos say for argumentrsquos sake that you work 5 days per week
and get paid $30 an hour (even if yoursquore a freelancer being
paid by the contract you should still calculate what yoursquore
making per hour worked to maximize your productivity)
Losing that hour a day to disorganisation costs you 5 work-
ing hours every week (thatrsquos more than half a dayrsquos work)
10 hours a fortnight (getting that back could earn you a
long-weekend twice per month) and 260 hours per year
If you work from home for someone else thatrsquos time you
could be spending with your family working out tending to
your garden going out with friends or reading your
favourite book If you work from home as a freelancer that
lost hour per day is costing you $150 per week $300 perfortnight or $7800 per year If yoursquore a business owner with
10 employees theyrsquore costing you $78000 a year in lost pro-
ductivity
If those figures donrsquot make you want to get better organised
I donrsquot know what will Try these tips for optimising your
workspace for maximum productivity
Think of your workspace as a command centre Therersquos a
reason institutions like the military police or fire depart-
ments enforce strict organisational practices Itrsquos because
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when the shit hits the fan they need to be ready to go at a
momentrsquos notice
Imagine being called to put out a fire only to find that you
still havenrsquot rolled up your hose and donrsquot know where your
helmet is If yoursquore an aspiring high performer you also need
to be ready to go at a momentrsquos notice
Over time our offices and desks get so full of useless non-
essential garbage itrsquos not funny Cull it all and get rid of
everything you donrsquot need Be ruthless Old documentsmdashfile
them or chuck them Too many pens
mdash
keep a few on yourdesk and put the rest in your drawer or a cupboard
Also take some time to organise your cords and cables Use
velcro cable-ties to bunch cords together and pick a spot on
your desk (preferably on your dominant hand sidemdashmore
on that later) to keep devices on charge and on-hand
When I was a younger man I would use the single bucket
technique for organising my aff airs You know the one Ok
Irsquoll explain Take income tax for example Receipts and pay-
slips came in I put them all in a single unmarked shoe-box
along with any and everything else (including non-tax re-
lated stuff ) I thought might be important enough to hold on
to and when 30 June came around I would spend hours
sorting receipts throwing half of them away because they
were useless and usually finding a bunch of important docu-
ments missing What and waste of time
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A few years ago I came to my senses and started trying dif-
ferent processes and systems that actually helped me organ-
ise my aff airs in a way that saved time saved eff ort and
which led to better outcomes
If you havenrsquotrsquo read it already David Allenrsquos Getting Things
Done the art of stress-free productivity is a great starting
point for creating systems that will help you do a better job
of managing your aff airs (turns out I was on the right track
though He too uses a bucket system just with more buck-
ets Download the book summary for free here yoursquoll
see)
A work space thatrsquos set up in the right way helps to reduce
your risk of injury save you time and energy and make you
more productive Try these tips for setting up your work-
space
Get your monitor and keyboard into comfortable posi-tions Offices often have workspace assessors who make
recommendations about how to set up your desk to re-
duce the risk of injury While thatrsquos reason enough
knowing how to set up a safe workspace will also en-
hance your productivity Do some research on workspace
setup and consider getting someone in to set you up
properly Your back eyes and whichever wrist you use to
control your mouse will thank you later
bull
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To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
bull
bull
bull
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and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
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Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
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daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
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hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
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6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
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bull
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Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
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Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
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Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
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Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
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Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
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What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
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know one of those places where I could post those lsquoliving
the life of a digital nomadrsquo type photos from a laptop full
of sand
In stark contrast to the competitive fast-paced nature of
working in an office I now spend my days home-schooling
my daughter studying an MBA working with my business
partner to build our own company back in Australia writing
articles for my blog and monthly newsletter and squeezing
in some remote freelance consulting And I do it all from a
laptop in my home office
Without the structures and restrictions of the traditional of-fice I set my own priorities run my own agenda start work
when I want finish work when I want follow my own rou-
tine and never have the pressure of a boss or supervisor
looking over my shoulder I never get called into last minute
meetings nor am I ever distracted by co-workers or office
politics
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Just like almost a million other Australians and around
one in five Americans I work from home and it is awe-
some
But I havenrsquot always done it well Just like so many others
when I first considered working from home full-time I pic-
tured hanging-out on my couch in my tracky-dacks (sweats)
with a laptop and a cup of tea Sounds great right
Well I reproduced that exact scene for about the first month
of working from home and it was terrible It turns out doing
your best work at home takes more discipline than yoursquod re-alise After trying the lsquoslouch-on-the-couchrsquo approach I
found that my work and the way I felt about it suff ered
I was constantly distracted always procrastinating and hav-
ing to push hard right before deadlines to get things in on
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time My stress levels were high and my motivation was low
Not a cool place to be especially since working from home
was supposed to be a dream come true So I did something
about it I created some rules started following some rou-
tines and redesigned my environment Now Irsquom more moti-
vated creative and productive than ever before
After I was interviewed by Paul Minors from The Productiv-
ity Podcast about how to be more productive while working
from home (click here to listen onlinemdashormdashclick here to
download the podcast) I put together this post to explore
some of the themes and tips that came out of our discussion
and share with you what I did and what you can do to be-come more productive at home
If you have any tips of your own for being productive while
working from home or if you have any questions or com-
ments be sure to highlight the passage of text that interests you select the comment option and pop them in to the com-
ments box that appears to the side of the article (awesome
Medium feature)
Without further ado here are my top tips for being produc-
tive while working from home
1 Dress for success Yes the idea of wearing whatever you want to work sounds
amazing and it is for a while But in my experience if yoursquore
wearing sweats on a daily basis (for example) it will only be
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a matter of time before your mood and your work starts to
reflect your attire Yoursquoll find yourself being lazy and produc-
ing sub-standard work
When you look good you feel good And when you feel
good you do good things As comfortable as your favorite
pajamas or sweats are they will hold you back from being
your best self and doing your best work
Irsquom not saying you need to suit-up every morning (thatrsquos forthe suckers who work in an officemdashno off ence) but you do
need to find a balance between utility (comfort) and profes-
sionalism (style) I find that the balance lies in the answers
to these two questions
1 Would I be comfortable welcoming my fathermother-in-
law (alternatively friends) into my home in what Irsquom wear-ing
2 Would I be comfortable popping down to the corner store
or the local cafe in what Irsquom wearing
If I canrsquot answer yes to these two questions I change To give
you an idea of how this looks for me most days I wear cargo
or dress shorts (I live in the tropics) and a clean pressed
logo-less T-shirt or polo When I have in-person meetings I
step it up to a pair of jeans and a blazer or just a polo if the
meetingrsquos via Skype or GoToMeeting or something like that
What you wear is completely up to you but I strongly encour-
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age you to use the two questions above to help you set the
tone for your day Yoursquoll be happier and more productive for
it
2 Create an energisingmorning routineMornings are the toughest part of my day Irsquom a night owl
always have been I do my best most creative work after
10pm (and love binge-watching any half decent television se-
ries which also keeps me up) so Irsquom awake until around 2am
at least a few nights out of the week
This makes it really tough for me to wakeup early and be
productive from the get-go All the more reason for me (and
you even if you are a morning person) to have a solid morn-
ing routine that helps you transition into work mode feeling
strong motivated creative and ready to hit the ground run-
ning
This is what my morning looks like right now
Wake up and get dressed
Water on my face and drink a big glass of cold water
Make breakfast while my wife gets ready for work
Breakfastmdashusually eggs a piece of toast and coff ee
Plan out my day (over breakfast)
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
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Spend a bit if time with my wife (morning time before
our little one wakes up can sometimes be the only quiet
time we get together all day)
My wife heads off for work
Tidy up after breakfast
Set myself up and get to work
This isnrsquot such a bad morning routine and for now it serves
its purpose But Irsquom always one to try and improve If yoursquove
read anything at all about the habits of the worlds mostproductive people yoursquoll know that most of them have a
killer morning routine that includes an early start and some
attention paid to the following three elements physical in-
tellectual spiritual
This usually translates into doing some kind of exercise
reading something that facilitates learning and practicing
meditation or some other way of becoming grounded or ex-
pressing gratitude for lifersquos blessings
So being the aspirational type Irsquove mapped out what Irsquod likemy mornings to look like and Irsquom working towards making
this routine habitual My ideal morning looks something like
this
bull
bull
bull
bull
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Wake up
Water on my face and drink a big glass of cold water
Pilatesmdash20 minutes
Quick shower and get dressed (hotcold)
Make breakfast while my wife gets ready for work
Breakfastmdashsomething healthy
Plan out my day (over breakfast)
Spend a bit of time with my wife before she heads off for
work
My wife heads off for work
Tidy up after breakfast
Meditation
mdash
10 minutes
Set my self up and get to work
As you can see Irsquom currently far form my ideal morning but
I persist in trying to make my morning routine better be-
cause I know it will make me better
The more I work at the ideal morning routine Irsquove designed
the more likely I am to form the habits I need to make my
ideal morning the norm Irsquove formulated a process for get-
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
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ting to my ideal morning To design and stick to your own
ideal morning routine try this
Write down what your morning looks like now Being
honest with onersquos self is the first step toward self-im-
provement and what gets measured gets managed So
by taking stock of what you do now yoursquoll see what
needs to change and how you can take action
Write down what yoursquod like your morning to look like
Your ideal morning Be ambitious and do some research
Pick morning activities that make you want to wake up
which help you to become healthier and happier and
that help you transition into your workday There are a
plethora of books and online resources out there that
can help Download Paul Minorrsquos book summary of
The Miracle Morning and see where that takes you Irsquove
also found MyMorningRoutinecom rsquos weekly newsletter
useful for inspiration and motivation
Re-write your current morning routine but with the ad-dition of one new element from the ideal morning rou-
tine yoursquove just created The first time I started this
process I added drinking a big glass of cold water Irsquod
read that doing this every morning would help me
wake up and would activate my metabolism both of
which sounded like big impact for little eff ort This made
it an easy win and put me on track to adding other morechallenging elements to my morning
Put your new morning routine up on your bedroom wall
or cupboard door so you can see it everyday and make it
easy to follow when you wake up Irsquom incapable of think-
1
2
3
4
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ing for around half-an-hour after I wake up so I use it
like a morning checklist so I donrsquot have to think I just
follow Repetition builds habits
Stick with this new morning routine for one or two
weeks or until the new element becomes a habit andpermanent part of your morning Then introduce one
more new element from your ideal morning and repeat
By focusing on adding just one new element to your morn-
ing routine at a time yoursquore more likely to actually do it and
make it a habit Donrsquot be discouraged if you fail on the up-
take of your new morning routine in the short term Form-
ing new habits takes time and your perseverance will be
worth it to start your day with more energy more focus and
better productivity
3 Create a dedicated
workspaceWhile I was at university I developed this really bad habit of
studying on couches and at coff ee tables As a result when I
got my first office job I really struggled to focus and work
comfortably at a desk
My co-workers would on a pretty regular basis find me
working with headphones in the staff lounge or the cafe
5
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down stairs I eventually
got used to working at a
desk (although I still
slipped out to more com-
fortable surrounds every
now and then and worked
from home whenever I
could) but never really felt
100 comfortable in my
office
When I started working
from home full-time I wasexcited to be back on the
couch Kicking my feet up
while reading laptop on
my lap while writing the
TV at a low roar in the
background (which I justified by saying it helped my keep
up with current aff airs) It was wonderful until deadlinesstarted looming and my focus was nowhere to be found
So I did some research As it turns out when you have re-
laxed or lazy body language you naturally become more
relaxed about your work and your productivity suff ers
The other thing that bothered me over time about working
from my lounge room was that I had to constantly set-up
and then pack-away my stuff before and after working
which was both annoying and time consuming
Between my lazy posture and spending who knows how long
setting up and packing up my productivity was suff ering
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So I built a little nook I bought some pine from the hard-
ware store and got to work putting together some simple
shelves and a little desk
It was perfect It didnrsquot take up a lot of space but it was big
enough for me to be comfortable With that as my primary
work option I was able to move between my nook the
couch and sometimes my backyard or the local cafe (dis-
cussed later) as I needed and never had to set-up or pack-up
my work stuff again
Irsquove recently moved house and now work at a desk in a room
which doubles as our classroom and my offi
ce Knowing thatthe room is only for work and home-schooling helps me to
separate life from work
When your work is always in sight itrsquos always on your mind
Having a dedicated workspace and being able to simply shut
the door when Irsquom not working means I can compartmen-
talise life and my work and can focus on whatrsquos important at
any given time
4 Keep your workspaceclean and organisedThis is one of the best ways to boost productivity People
tend to focus too much on what app they can use to boosttheir productivity when often itrsquos their physical environment
thatrsquos holding them back
Studies have shown that the average worker loses about
an hour a day to disorganisation Consider for a moment
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what that means in productivity terms
Letrsquos say for argumentrsquos sake that you work 5 days per week
and get paid $30 an hour (even if yoursquore a freelancer being
paid by the contract you should still calculate what yoursquore
making per hour worked to maximize your productivity)
Losing that hour a day to disorganisation costs you 5 work-
ing hours every week (thatrsquos more than half a dayrsquos work)
10 hours a fortnight (getting that back could earn you a
long-weekend twice per month) and 260 hours per year
If you work from home for someone else thatrsquos time you
could be spending with your family working out tending to
your garden going out with friends or reading your
favourite book If you work from home as a freelancer that
lost hour per day is costing you $150 per week $300 perfortnight or $7800 per year If yoursquore a business owner with
10 employees theyrsquore costing you $78000 a year in lost pro-
ductivity
If those figures donrsquot make you want to get better organised
I donrsquot know what will Try these tips for optimising your
workspace for maximum productivity
Think of your workspace as a command centre Therersquos a
reason institutions like the military police or fire depart-
ments enforce strict organisational practices Itrsquos because
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when the shit hits the fan they need to be ready to go at a
momentrsquos notice
Imagine being called to put out a fire only to find that you
still havenrsquot rolled up your hose and donrsquot know where your
helmet is If yoursquore an aspiring high performer you also need
to be ready to go at a momentrsquos notice
Over time our offices and desks get so full of useless non-
essential garbage itrsquos not funny Cull it all and get rid of
everything you donrsquot need Be ruthless Old documentsmdashfile
them or chuck them Too many pens
mdash
keep a few on yourdesk and put the rest in your drawer or a cupboard
Also take some time to organise your cords and cables Use
velcro cable-ties to bunch cords together and pick a spot on
your desk (preferably on your dominant hand sidemdashmore
on that later) to keep devices on charge and on-hand
When I was a younger man I would use the single bucket
technique for organising my aff airs You know the one Ok
Irsquoll explain Take income tax for example Receipts and pay-
slips came in I put them all in a single unmarked shoe-box
along with any and everything else (including non-tax re-
lated stuff ) I thought might be important enough to hold on
to and when 30 June came around I would spend hours
sorting receipts throwing half of them away because they
were useless and usually finding a bunch of important docu-
ments missing What and waste of time
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A few years ago I came to my senses and started trying dif-
ferent processes and systems that actually helped me organ-
ise my aff airs in a way that saved time saved eff ort and
which led to better outcomes
If you havenrsquotrsquo read it already David Allenrsquos Getting Things
Done the art of stress-free productivity is a great starting
point for creating systems that will help you do a better job
of managing your aff airs (turns out I was on the right track
though He too uses a bucket system just with more buck-
ets Download the book summary for free here yoursquoll
see)
A work space thatrsquos set up in the right way helps to reduce
your risk of injury save you time and energy and make you
more productive Try these tips for setting up your work-
space
Get your monitor and keyboard into comfortable posi-tions Offices often have workspace assessors who make
recommendations about how to set up your desk to re-
duce the risk of injury While thatrsquos reason enough
knowing how to set up a safe workspace will also en-
hance your productivity Do some research on workspace
setup and consider getting someone in to set you up
properly Your back eyes and whichever wrist you use to
control your mouse will thank you later
bull
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To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
bull
bull
bull
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and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
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Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
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daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
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hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
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6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
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Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
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Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
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think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
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Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
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I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
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What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
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Just like almost a million other Australians and around
one in five Americans I work from home and it is awe-
some
But I havenrsquot always done it well Just like so many others
when I first considered working from home full-time I pic-
tured hanging-out on my couch in my tracky-dacks (sweats)
with a laptop and a cup of tea Sounds great right
Well I reproduced that exact scene for about the first month
of working from home and it was terrible It turns out doing
your best work at home takes more discipline than yoursquod re-alise After trying the lsquoslouch-on-the-couchrsquo approach I
found that my work and the way I felt about it suff ered
I was constantly distracted always procrastinating and hav-
ing to push hard right before deadlines to get things in on
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time My stress levels were high and my motivation was low
Not a cool place to be especially since working from home
was supposed to be a dream come true So I did something
about it I created some rules started following some rou-
tines and redesigned my environment Now Irsquom more moti-
vated creative and productive than ever before
After I was interviewed by Paul Minors from The Productiv-
ity Podcast about how to be more productive while working
from home (click here to listen onlinemdashormdashclick here to
download the podcast) I put together this post to explore
some of the themes and tips that came out of our discussion
and share with you what I did and what you can do to be-come more productive at home
If you have any tips of your own for being productive while
working from home or if you have any questions or com-
ments be sure to highlight the passage of text that interests you select the comment option and pop them in to the com-
ments box that appears to the side of the article (awesome
Medium feature)
Without further ado here are my top tips for being produc-
tive while working from home
1 Dress for success Yes the idea of wearing whatever you want to work sounds
amazing and it is for a while But in my experience if yoursquore
wearing sweats on a daily basis (for example) it will only be
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a matter of time before your mood and your work starts to
reflect your attire Yoursquoll find yourself being lazy and produc-
ing sub-standard work
When you look good you feel good And when you feel
good you do good things As comfortable as your favorite
pajamas or sweats are they will hold you back from being
your best self and doing your best work
Irsquom not saying you need to suit-up every morning (thatrsquos forthe suckers who work in an officemdashno off ence) but you do
need to find a balance between utility (comfort) and profes-
sionalism (style) I find that the balance lies in the answers
to these two questions
1 Would I be comfortable welcoming my fathermother-in-
law (alternatively friends) into my home in what Irsquom wear-ing
2 Would I be comfortable popping down to the corner store
or the local cafe in what Irsquom wearing
If I canrsquot answer yes to these two questions I change To give
you an idea of how this looks for me most days I wear cargo
or dress shorts (I live in the tropics) and a clean pressed
logo-less T-shirt or polo When I have in-person meetings I
step it up to a pair of jeans and a blazer or just a polo if the
meetingrsquos via Skype or GoToMeeting or something like that
What you wear is completely up to you but I strongly encour-
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age you to use the two questions above to help you set the
tone for your day Yoursquoll be happier and more productive for
it
2 Create an energisingmorning routineMornings are the toughest part of my day Irsquom a night owl
always have been I do my best most creative work after
10pm (and love binge-watching any half decent television se-
ries which also keeps me up) so Irsquom awake until around 2am
at least a few nights out of the week
This makes it really tough for me to wakeup early and be
productive from the get-go All the more reason for me (and
you even if you are a morning person) to have a solid morn-
ing routine that helps you transition into work mode feeling
strong motivated creative and ready to hit the ground run-
ning
This is what my morning looks like right now
Wake up and get dressed
Water on my face and drink a big glass of cold water
Make breakfast while my wife gets ready for work
Breakfastmdashusually eggs a piece of toast and coff ee
Plan out my day (over breakfast)
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
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Spend a bit if time with my wife (morning time before
our little one wakes up can sometimes be the only quiet
time we get together all day)
My wife heads off for work
Tidy up after breakfast
Set myself up and get to work
This isnrsquot such a bad morning routine and for now it serves
its purpose But Irsquom always one to try and improve If yoursquove
read anything at all about the habits of the worlds mostproductive people yoursquoll know that most of them have a
killer morning routine that includes an early start and some
attention paid to the following three elements physical in-
tellectual spiritual
This usually translates into doing some kind of exercise
reading something that facilitates learning and practicing
meditation or some other way of becoming grounded or ex-
pressing gratitude for lifersquos blessings
So being the aspirational type Irsquove mapped out what Irsquod likemy mornings to look like and Irsquom working towards making
this routine habitual My ideal morning looks something like
this
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bull
bull
bull
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Wake up
Water on my face and drink a big glass of cold water
Pilatesmdash20 minutes
Quick shower and get dressed (hotcold)
Make breakfast while my wife gets ready for work
Breakfastmdashsomething healthy
Plan out my day (over breakfast)
Spend a bit of time with my wife before she heads off for
work
My wife heads off for work
Tidy up after breakfast
Meditation
mdash
10 minutes
Set my self up and get to work
As you can see Irsquom currently far form my ideal morning but
I persist in trying to make my morning routine better be-
cause I know it will make me better
The more I work at the ideal morning routine Irsquove designed
the more likely I am to form the habits I need to make my
ideal morning the norm Irsquove formulated a process for get-
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
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Page 9ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
ting to my ideal morning To design and stick to your own
ideal morning routine try this
Write down what your morning looks like now Being
honest with onersquos self is the first step toward self-im-
provement and what gets measured gets managed So
by taking stock of what you do now yoursquoll see what
needs to change and how you can take action
Write down what yoursquod like your morning to look like
Your ideal morning Be ambitious and do some research
Pick morning activities that make you want to wake up
which help you to become healthier and happier and
that help you transition into your workday There are a
plethora of books and online resources out there that
can help Download Paul Minorrsquos book summary of
The Miracle Morning and see where that takes you Irsquove
also found MyMorningRoutinecom rsquos weekly newsletter
useful for inspiration and motivation
Re-write your current morning routine but with the ad-dition of one new element from the ideal morning rou-
tine yoursquove just created The first time I started this
process I added drinking a big glass of cold water Irsquod
read that doing this every morning would help me
wake up and would activate my metabolism both of
which sounded like big impact for little eff ort This made
it an easy win and put me on track to adding other morechallenging elements to my morning
Put your new morning routine up on your bedroom wall
or cupboard door so you can see it everyday and make it
easy to follow when you wake up Irsquom incapable of think-
1
2
3
4
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Page 10ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
ing for around half-an-hour after I wake up so I use it
like a morning checklist so I donrsquot have to think I just
follow Repetition builds habits
Stick with this new morning routine for one or two
weeks or until the new element becomes a habit andpermanent part of your morning Then introduce one
more new element from your ideal morning and repeat
By focusing on adding just one new element to your morn-
ing routine at a time yoursquore more likely to actually do it and
make it a habit Donrsquot be discouraged if you fail on the up-
take of your new morning routine in the short term Form-
ing new habits takes time and your perseverance will be
worth it to start your day with more energy more focus and
better productivity
3 Create a dedicated
workspaceWhile I was at university I developed this really bad habit of
studying on couches and at coff ee tables As a result when I
got my first office job I really struggled to focus and work
comfortably at a desk
My co-workers would on a pretty regular basis find me
working with headphones in the staff lounge or the cafe
5
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Page 11ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
down stairs I eventually
got used to working at a
desk (although I still
slipped out to more com-
fortable surrounds every
now and then and worked
from home whenever I
could) but never really felt
100 comfortable in my
office
When I started working
from home full-time I wasexcited to be back on the
couch Kicking my feet up
while reading laptop on
my lap while writing the
TV at a low roar in the
background (which I justified by saying it helped my keep
up with current aff airs) It was wonderful until deadlinesstarted looming and my focus was nowhere to be found
So I did some research As it turns out when you have re-
laxed or lazy body language you naturally become more
relaxed about your work and your productivity suff ers
The other thing that bothered me over time about working
from my lounge room was that I had to constantly set-up
and then pack-away my stuff before and after working
which was both annoying and time consuming
Between my lazy posture and spending who knows how long
setting up and packing up my productivity was suff ering
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So I built a little nook I bought some pine from the hard-
ware store and got to work putting together some simple
shelves and a little desk
It was perfect It didnrsquot take up a lot of space but it was big
enough for me to be comfortable With that as my primary
work option I was able to move between my nook the
couch and sometimes my backyard or the local cafe (dis-
cussed later) as I needed and never had to set-up or pack-up
my work stuff again
Irsquove recently moved house and now work at a desk in a room
which doubles as our classroom and my offi
ce Knowing thatthe room is only for work and home-schooling helps me to
separate life from work
When your work is always in sight itrsquos always on your mind
Having a dedicated workspace and being able to simply shut
the door when Irsquom not working means I can compartmen-
talise life and my work and can focus on whatrsquos important at
any given time
4 Keep your workspaceclean and organisedThis is one of the best ways to boost productivity People
tend to focus too much on what app they can use to boosttheir productivity when often itrsquos their physical environment
thatrsquos holding them back
Studies have shown that the average worker loses about
an hour a day to disorganisation Consider for a moment
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what that means in productivity terms
Letrsquos say for argumentrsquos sake that you work 5 days per week
and get paid $30 an hour (even if yoursquore a freelancer being
paid by the contract you should still calculate what yoursquore
making per hour worked to maximize your productivity)
Losing that hour a day to disorganisation costs you 5 work-
ing hours every week (thatrsquos more than half a dayrsquos work)
10 hours a fortnight (getting that back could earn you a
long-weekend twice per month) and 260 hours per year
If you work from home for someone else thatrsquos time you
could be spending with your family working out tending to
your garden going out with friends or reading your
favourite book If you work from home as a freelancer that
lost hour per day is costing you $150 per week $300 perfortnight or $7800 per year If yoursquore a business owner with
10 employees theyrsquore costing you $78000 a year in lost pro-
ductivity
If those figures donrsquot make you want to get better organised
I donrsquot know what will Try these tips for optimising your
workspace for maximum productivity
Think of your workspace as a command centre Therersquos a
reason institutions like the military police or fire depart-
ments enforce strict organisational practices Itrsquos because
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when the shit hits the fan they need to be ready to go at a
momentrsquos notice
Imagine being called to put out a fire only to find that you
still havenrsquot rolled up your hose and donrsquot know where your
helmet is If yoursquore an aspiring high performer you also need
to be ready to go at a momentrsquos notice
Over time our offices and desks get so full of useless non-
essential garbage itrsquos not funny Cull it all and get rid of
everything you donrsquot need Be ruthless Old documentsmdashfile
them or chuck them Too many pens
mdash
keep a few on yourdesk and put the rest in your drawer or a cupboard
Also take some time to organise your cords and cables Use
velcro cable-ties to bunch cords together and pick a spot on
your desk (preferably on your dominant hand sidemdashmore
on that later) to keep devices on charge and on-hand
When I was a younger man I would use the single bucket
technique for organising my aff airs You know the one Ok
Irsquoll explain Take income tax for example Receipts and pay-
slips came in I put them all in a single unmarked shoe-box
along with any and everything else (including non-tax re-
lated stuff ) I thought might be important enough to hold on
to and when 30 June came around I would spend hours
sorting receipts throwing half of them away because they
were useless and usually finding a bunch of important docu-
ments missing What and waste of time
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A few years ago I came to my senses and started trying dif-
ferent processes and systems that actually helped me organ-
ise my aff airs in a way that saved time saved eff ort and
which led to better outcomes
If you havenrsquotrsquo read it already David Allenrsquos Getting Things
Done the art of stress-free productivity is a great starting
point for creating systems that will help you do a better job
of managing your aff airs (turns out I was on the right track
though He too uses a bucket system just with more buck-
ets Download the book summary for free here yoursquoll
see)
A work space thatrsquos set up in the right way helps to reduce
your risk of injury save you time and energy and make you
more productive Try these tips for setting up your work-
space
Get your monitor and keyboard into comfortable posi-tions Offices often have workspace assessors who make
recommendations about how to set up your desk to re-
duce the risk of injury While thatrsquos reason enough
knowing how to set up a safe workspace will also en-
hance your productivity Do some research on workspace
setup and consider getting someone in to set you up
properly Your back eyes and whichever wrist you use to
control your mouse will thank you later
bull
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To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
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bull
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and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
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Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
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daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
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hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
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6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
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Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
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Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
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think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
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Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
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Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
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What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
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2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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time My stress levels were high and my motivation was low
Not a cool place to be especially since working from home
was supposed to be a dream come true So I did something
about it I created some rules started following some rou-
tines and redesigned my environment Now Irsquom more moti-
vated creative and productive than ever before
After I was interviewed by Paul Minors from The Productiv-
ity Podcast about how to be more productive while working
from home (click here to listen onlinemdashormdashclick here to
download the podcast) I put together this post to explore
some of the themes and tips that came out of our discussion
and share with you what I did and what you can do to be-come more productive at home
If you have any tips of your own for being productive while
working from home or if you have any questions or com-
ments be sure to highlight the passage of text that interests you select the comment option and pop them in to the com-
ments box that appears to the side of the article (awesome
Medium feature)
Without further ado here are my top tips for being produc-
tive while working from home
1 Dress for success Yes the idea of wearing whatever you want to work sounds
amazing and it is for a while But in my experience if yoursquore
wearing sweats on a daily basis (for example) it will only be
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a matter of time before your mood and your work starts to
reflect your attire Yoursquoll find yourself being lazy and produc-
ing sub-standard work
When you look good you feel good And when you feel
good you do good things As comfortable as your favorite
pajamas or sweats are they will hold you back from being
your best self and doing your best work
Irsquom not saying you need to suit-up every morning (thatrsquos forthe suckers who work in an officemdashno off ence) but you do
need to find a balance between utility (comfort) and profes-
sionalism (style) I find that the balance lies in the answers
to these two questions
1 Would I be comfortable welcoming my fathermother-in-
law (alternatively friends) into my home in what Irsquom wear-ing
2 Would I be comfortable popping down to the corner store
or the local cafe in what Irsquom wearing
If I canrsquot answer yes to these two questions I change To give
you an idea of how this looks for me most days I wear cargo
or dress shorts (I live in the tropics) and a clean pressed
logo-less T-shirt or polo When I have in-person meetings I
step it up to a pair of jeans and a blazer or just a polo if the
meetingrsquos via Skype or GoToMeeting or something like that
What you wear is completely up to you but I strongly encour-
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age you to use the two questions above to help you set the
tone for your day Yoursquoll be happier and more productive for
it
2 Create an energisingmorning routineMornings are the toughest part of my day Irsquom a night owl
always have been I do my best most creative work after
10pm (and love binge-watching any half decent television se-
ries which also keeps me up) so Irsquom awake until around 2am
at least a few nights out of the week
This makes it really tough for me to wakeup early and be
productive from the get-go All the more reason for me (and
you even if you are a morning person) to have a solid morn-
ing routine that helps you transition into work mode feeling
strong motivated creative and ready to hit the ground run-
ning
This is what my morning looks like right now
Wake up and get dressed
Water on my face and drink a big glass of cold water
Make breakfast while my wife gets ready for work
Breakfastmdashusually eggs a piece of toast and coff ee
Plan out my day (over breakfast)
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bull
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Spend a bit if time with my wife (morning time before
our little one wakes up can sometimes be the only quiet
time we get together all day)
My wife heads off for work
Tidy up after breakfast
Set myself up and get to work
This isnrsquot such a bad morning routine and for now it serves
its purpose But Irsquom always one to try and improve If yoursquove
read anything at all about the habits of the worlds mostproductive people yoursquoll know that most of them have a
killer morning routine that includes an early start and some
attention paid to the following three elements physical in-
tellectual spiritual
This usually translates into doing some kind of exercise
reading something that facilitates learning and practicing
meditation or some other way of becoming grounded or ex-
pressing gratitude for lifersquos blessings
So being the aspirational type Irsquove mapped out what Irsquod likemy mornings to look like and Irsquom working towards making
this routine habitual My ideal morning looks something like
this
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bull
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Wake up
Water on my face and drink a big glass of cold water
Pilatesmdash20 minutes
Quick shower and get dressed (hotcold)
Make breakfast while my wife gets ready for work
Breakfastmdashsomething healthy
Plan out my day (over breakfast)
Spend a bit of time with my wife before she heads off for
work
My wife heads off for work
Tidy up after breakfast
Meditation
mdash
10 minutes
Set my self up and get to work
As you can see Irsquom currently far form my ideal morning but
I persist in trying to make my morning routine better be-
cause I know it will make me better
The more I work at the ideal morning routine Irsquove designed
the more likely I am to form the habits I need to make my
ideal morning the norm Irsquove formulated a process for get-
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
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ting to my ideal morning To design and stick to your own
ideal morning routine try this
Write down what your morning looks like now Being
honest with onersquos self is the first step toward self-im-
provement and what gets measured gets managed So
by taking stock of what you do now yoursquoll see what
needs to change and how you can take action
Write down what yoursquod like your morning to look like
Your ideal morning Be ambitious and do some research
Pick morning activities that make you want to wake up
which help you to become healthier and happier and
that help you transition into your workday There are a
plethora of books and online resources out there that
can help Download Paul Minorrsquos book summary of
The Miracle Morning and see where that takes you Irsquove
also found MyMorningRoutinecom rsquos weekly newsletter
useful for inspiration and motivation
Re-write your current morning routine but with the ad-dition of one new element from the ideal morning rou-
tine yoursquove just created The first time I started this
process I added drinking a big glass of cold water Irsquod
read that doing this every morning would help me
wake up and would activate my metabolism both of
which sounded like big impact for little eff ort This made
it an easy win and put me on track to adding other morechallenging elements to my morning
Put your new morning routine up on your bedroom wall
or cupboard door so you can see it everyday and make it
easy to follow when you wake up Irsquom incapable of think-
1
2
3
4
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ing for around half-an-hour after I wake up so I use it
like a morning checklist so I donrsquot have to think I just
follow Repetition builds habits
Stick with this new morning routine for one or two
weeks or until the new element becomes a habit andpermanent part of your morning Then introduce one
more new element from your ideal morning and repeat
By focusing on adding just one new element to your morn-
ing routine at a time yoursquore more likely to actually do it and
make it a habit Donrsquot be discouraged if you fail on the up-
take of your new morning routine in the short term Form-
ing new habits takes time and your perseverance will be
worth it to start your day with more energy more focus and
better productivity
3 Create a dedicated
workspaceWhile I was at university I developed this really bad habit of
studying on couches and at coff ee tables As a result when I
got my first office job I really struggled to focus and work
comfortably at a desk
My co-workers would on a pretty regular basis find me
working with headphones in the staff lounge or the cafe
5
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down stairs I eventually
got used to working at a
desk (although I still
slipped out to more com-
fortable surrounds every
now and then and worked
from home whenever I
could) but never really felt
100 comfortable in my
office
When I started working
from home full-time I wasexcited to be back on the
couch Kicking my feet up
while reading laptop on
my lap while writing the
TV at a low roar in the
background (which I justified by saying it helped my keep
up with current aff airs) It was wonderful until deadlinesstarted looming and my focus was nowhere to be found
So I did some research As it turns out when you have re-
laxed or lazy body language you naturally become more
relaxed about your work and your productivity suff ers
The other thing that bothered me over time about working
from my lounge room was that I had to constantly set-up
and then pack-away my stuff before and after working
which was both annoying and time consuming
Between my lazy posture and spending who knows how long
setting up and packing up my productivity was suff ering
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So I built a little nook I bought some pine from the hard-
ware store and got to work putting together some simple
shelves and a little desk
It was perfect It didnrsquot take up a lot of space but it was big
enough for me to be comfortable With that as my primary
work option I was able to move between my nook the
couch and sometimes my backyard or the local cafe (dis-
cussed later) as I needed and never had to set-up or pack-up
my work stuff again
Irsquove recently moved house and now work at a desk in a room
which doubles as our classroom and my offi
ce Knowing thatthe room is only for work and home-schooling helps me to
separate life from work
When your work is always in sight itrsquos always on your mind
Having a dedicated workspace and being able to simply shut
the door when Irsquom not working means I can compartmen-
talise life and my work and can focus on whatrsquos important at
any given time
4 Keep your workspaceclean and organisedThis is one of the best ways to boost productivity People
tend to focus too much on what app they can use to boosttheir productivity when often itrsquos their physical environment
thatrsquos holding them back
Studies have shown that the average worker loses about
an hour a day to disorganisation Consider for a moment
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what that means in productivity terms
Letrsquos say for argumentrsquos sake that you work 5 days per week
and get paid $30 an hour (even if yoursquore a freelancer being
paid by the contract you should still calculate what yoursquore
making per hour worked to maximize your productivity)
Losing that hour a day to disorganisation costs you 5 work-
ing hours every week (thatrsquos more than half a dayrsquos work)
10 hours a fortnight (getting that back could earn you a
long-weekend twice per month) and 260 hours per year
If you work from home for someone else thatrsquos time you
could be spending with your family working out tending to
your garden going out with friends or reading your
favourite book If you work from home as a freelancer that
lost hour per day is costing you $150 per week $300 perfortnight or $7800 per year If yoursquore a business owner with
10 employees theyrsquore costing you $78000 a year in lost pro-
ductivity
If those figures donrsquot make you want to get better organised
I donrsquot know what will Try these tips for optimising your
workspace for maximum productivity
Think of your workspace as a command centre Therersquos a
reason institutions like the military police or fire depart-
ments enforce strict organisational practices Itrsquos because
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when the shit hits the fan they need to be ready to go at a
momentrsquos notice
Imagine being called to put out a fire only to find that you
still havenrsquot rolled up your hose and donrsquot know where your
helmet is If yoursquore an aspiring high performer you also need
to be ready to go at a momentrsquos notice
Over time our offices and desks get so full of useless non-
essential garbage itrsquos not funny Cull it all and get rid of
everything you donrsquot need Be ruthless Old documentsmdashfile
them or chuck them Too many pens
mdash
keep a few on yourdesk and put the rest in your drawer or a cupboard
Also take some time to organise your cords and cables Use
velcro cable-ties to bunch cords together and pick a spot on
your desk (preferably on your dominant hand sidemdashmore
on that later) to keep devices on charge and on-hand
When I was a younger man I would use the single bucket
technique for organising my aff airs You know the one Ok
Irsquoll explain Take income tax for example Receipts and pay-
slips came in I put them all in a single unmarked shoe-box
along with any and everything else (including non-tax re-
lated stuff ) I thought might be important enough to hold on
to and when 30 June came around I would spend hours
sorting receipts throwing half of them away because they
were useless and usually finding a bunch of important docu-
ments missing What and waste of time
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A few years ago I came to my senses and started trying dif-
ferent processes and systems that actually helped me organ-
ise my aff airs in a way that saved time saved eff ort and
which led to better outcomes
If you havenrsquotrsquo read it already David Allenrsquos Getting Things
Done the art of stress-free productivity is a great starting
point for creating systems that will help you do a better job
of managing your aff airs (turns out I was on the right track
though He too uses a bucket system just with more buck-
ets Download the book summary for free here yoursquoll
see)
A work space thatrsquos set up in the right way helps to reduce
your risk of injury save you time and energy and make you
more productive Try these tips for setting up your work-
space
Get your monitor and keyboard into comfortable posi-tions Offices often have workspace assessors who make
recommendations about how to set up your desk to re-
duce the risk of injury While thatrsquos reason enough
knowing how to set up a safe workspace will also en-
hance your productivity Do some research on workspace
setup and consider getting someone in to set you up
properly Your back eyes and whichever wrist you use to
control your mouse will thank you later
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To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
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and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
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Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
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daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
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hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
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6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
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Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
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Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
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think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
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Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
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Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
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Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
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a matter of time before your mood and your work starts to
reflect your attire Yoursquoll find yourself being lazy and produc-
ing sub-standard work
When you look good you feel good And when you feel
good you do good things As comfortable as your favorite
pajamas or sweats are they will hold you back from being
your best self and doing your best work
Irsquom not saying you need to suit-up every morning (thatrsquos forthe suckers who work in an officemdashno off ence) but you do
need to find a balance between utility (comfort) and profes-
sionalism (style) I find that the balance lies in the answers
to these two questions
1 Would I be comfortable welcoming my fathermother-in-
law (alternatively friends) into my home in what Irsquom wear-ing
2 Would I be comfortable popping down to the corner store
or the local cafe in what Irsquom wearing
If I canrsquot answer yes to these two questions I change To give
you an idea of how this looks for me most days I wear cargo
or dress shorts (I live in the tropics) and a clean pressed
logo-less T-shirt or polo When I have in-person meetings I
step it up to a pair of jeans and a blazer or just a polo if the
meetingrsquos via Skype or GoToMeeting or something like that
What you wear is completely up to you but I strongly encour-
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age you to use the two questions above to help you set the
tone for your day Yoursquoll be happier and more productive for
it
2 Create an energisingmorning routineMornings are the toughest part of my day Irsquom a night owl
always have been I do my best most creative work after
10pm (and love binge-watching any half decent television se-
ries which also keeps me up) so Irsquom awake until around 2am
at least a few nights out of the week
This makes it really tough for me to wakeup early and be
productive from the get-go All the more reason for me (and
you even if you are a morning person) to have a solid morn-
ing routine that helps you transition into work mode feeling
strong motivated creative and ready to hit the ground run-
ning
This is what my morning looks like right now
Wake up and get dressed
Water on my face and drink a big glass of cold water
Make breakfast while my wife gets ready for work
Breakfastmdashusually eggs a piece of toast and coff ee
Plan out my day (over breakfast)
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Spend a bit if time with my wife (morning time before
our little one wakes up can sometimes be the only quiet
time we get together all day)
My wife heads off for work
Tidy up after breakfast
Set myself up and get to work
This isnrsquot such a bad morning routine and for now it serves
its purpose But Irsquom always one to try and improve If yoursquove
read anything at all about the habits of the worlds mostproductive people yoursquoll know that most of them have a
killer morning routine that includes an early start and some
attention paid to the following three elements physical in-
tellectual spiritual
This usually translates into doing some kind of exercise
reading something that facilitates learning and practicing
meditation or some other way of becoming grounded or ex-
pressing gratitude for lifersquos blessings
So being the aspirational type Irsquove mapped out what Irsquod likemy mornings to look like and Irsquom working towards making
this routine habitual My ideal morning looks something like
this
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Wake up
Water on my face and drink a big glass of cold water
Pilatesmdash20 minutes
Quick shower and get dressed (hotcold)
Make breakfast while my wife gets ready for work
Breakfastmdashsomething healthy
Plan out my day (over breakfast)
Spend a bit of time with my wife before she heads off for
work
My wife heads off for work
Tidy up after breakfast
Meditation
mdash
10 minutes
Set my self up and get to work
As you can see Irsquom currently far form my ideal morning but
I persist in trying to make my morning routine better be-
cause I know it will make me better
The more I work at the ideal morning routine Irsquove designed
the more likely I am to form the habits I need to make my
ideal morning the norm Irsquove formulated a process for get-
bull
bull
bull
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ting to my ideal morning To design and stick to your own
ideal morning routine try this
Write down what your morning looks like now Being
honest with onersquos self is the first step toward self-im-
provement and what gets measured gets managed So
by taking stock of what you do now yoursquoll see what
needs to change and how you can take action
Write down what yoursquod like your morning to look like
Your ideal morning Be ambitious and do some research
Pick morning activities that make you want to wake up
which help you to become healthier and happier and
that help you transition into your workday There are a
plethora of books and online resources out there that
can help Download Paul Minorrsquos book summary of
The Miracle Morning and see where that takes you Irsquove
also found MyMorningRoutinecom rsquos weekly newsletter
useful for inspiration and motivation
Re-write your current morning routine but with the ad-dition of one new element from the ideal morning rou-
tine yoursquove just created The first time I started this
process I added drinking a big glass of cold water Irsquod
read that doing this every morning would help me
wake up and would activate my metabolism both of
which sounded like big impact for little eff ort This made
it an easy win and put me on track to adding other morechallenging elements to my morning
Put your new morning routine up on your bedroom wall
or cupboard door so you can see it everyday and make it
easy to follow when you wake up Irsquom incapable of think-
1
2
3
4
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ing for around half-an-hour after I wake up so I use it
like a morning checklist so I donrsquot have to think I just
follow Repetition builds habits
Stick with this new morning routine for one or two
weeks or until the new element becomes a habit andpermanent part of your morning Then introduce one
more new element from your ideal morning and repeat
By focusing on adding just one new element to your morn-
ing routine at a time yoursquore more likely to actually do it and
make it a habit Donrsquot be discouraged if you fail on the up-
take of your new morning routine in the short term Form-
ing new habits takes time and your perseverance will be
worth it to start your day with more energy more focus and
better productivity
3 Create a dedicated
workspaceWhile I was at university I developed this really bad habit of
studying on couches and at coff ee tables As a result when I
got my first office job I really struggled to focus and work
comfortably at a desk
My co-workers would on a pretty regular basis find me
working with headphones in the staff lounge or the cafe
5
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down stairs I eventually
got used to working at a
desk (although I still
slipped out to more com-
fortable surrounds every
now and then and worked
from home whenever I
could) but never really felt
100 comfortable in my
office
When I started working
from home full-time I wasexcited to be back on the
couch Kicking my feet up
while reading laptop on
my lap while writing the
TV at a low roar in the
background (which I justified by saying it helped my keep
up with current aff airs) It was wonderful until deadlinesstarted looming and my focus was nowhere to be found
So I did some research As it turns out when you have re-
laxed or lazy body language you naturally become more
relaxed about your work and your productivity suff ers
The other thing that bothered me over time about working
from my lounge room was that I had to constantly set-up
and then pack-away my stuff before and after working
which was both annoying and time consuming
Between my lazy posture and spending who knows how long
setting up and packing up my productivity was suff ering
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So I built a little nook I bought some pine from the hard-
ware store and got to work putting together some simple
shelves and a little desk
It was perfect It didnrsquot take up a lot of space but it was big
enough for me to be comfortable With that as my primary
work option I was able to move between my nook the
couch and sometimes my backyard or the local cafe (dis-
cussed later) as I needed and never had to set-up or pack-up
my work stuff again
Irsquove recently moved house and now work at a desk in a room
which doubles as our classroom and my offi
ce Knowing thatthe room is only for work and home-schooling helps me to
separate life from work
When your work is always in sight itrsquos always on your mind
Having a dedicated workspace and being able to simply shut
the door when Irsquom not working means I can compartmen-
talise life and my work and can focus on whatrsquos important at
any given time
4 Keep your workspaceclean and organisedThis is one of the best ways to boost productivity People
tend to focus too much on what app they can use to boosttheir productivity when often itrsquos their physical environment
thatrsquos holding them back
Studies have shown that the average worker loses about
an hour a day to disorganisation Consider for a moment
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what that means in productivity terms
Letrsquos say for argumentrsquos sake that you work 5 days per week
and get paid $30 an hour (even if yoursquore a freelancer being
paid by the contract you should still calculate what yoursquore
making per hour worked to maximize your productivity)
Losing that hour a day to disorganisation costs you 5 work-
ing hours every week (thatrsquos more than half a dayrsquos work)
10 hours a fortnight (getting that back could earn you a
long-weekend twice per month) and 260 hours per year
If you work from home for someone else thatrsquos time you
could be spending with your family working out tending to
your garden going out with friends or reading your
favourite book If you work from home as a freelancer that
lost hour per day is costing you $150 per week $300 perfortnight or $7800 per year If yoursquore a business owner with
10 employees theyrsquore costing you $78000 a year in lost pro-
ductivity
If those figures donrsquot make you want to get better organised
I donrsquot know what will Try these tips for optimising your
workspace for maximum productivity
Think of your workspace as a command centre Therersquos a
reason institutions like the military police or fire depart-
ments enforce strict organisational practices Itrsquos because
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when the shit hits the fan they need to be ready to go at a
momentrsquos notice
Imagine being called to put out a fire only to find that you
still havenrsquot rolled up your hose and donrsquot know where your
helmet is If yoursquore an aspiring high performer you also need
to be ready to go at a momentrsquos notice
Over time our offices and desks get so full of useless non-
essential garbage itrsquos not funny Cull it all and get rid of
everything you donrsquot need Be ruthless Old documentsmdashfile
them or chuck them Too many pens
mdash
keep a few on yourdesk and put the rest in your drawer or a cupboard
Also take some time to organise your cords and cables Use
velcro cable-ties to bunch cords together and pick a spot on
your desk (preferably on your dominant hand sidemdashmore
on that later) to keep devices on charge and on-hand
When I was a younger man I would use the single bucket
technique for organising my aff airs You know the one Ok
Irsquoll explain Take income tax for example Receipts and pay-
slips came in I put them all in a single unmarked shoe-box
along with any and everything else (including non-tax re-
lated stuff ) I thought might be important enough to hold on
to and when 30 June came around I would spend hours
sorting receipts throwing half of them away because they
were useless and usually finding a bunch of important docu-
ments missing What and waste of time
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A few years ago I came to my senses and started trying dif-
ferent processes and systems that actually helped me organ-
ise my aff airs in a way that saved time saved eff ort and
which led to better outcomes
If you havenrsquotrsquo read it already David Allenrsquos Getting Things
Done the art of stress-free productivity is a great starting
point for creating systems that will help you do a better job
of managing your aff airs (turns out I was on the right track
though He too uses a bucket system just with more buck-
ets Download the book summary for free here yoursquoll
see)
A work space thatrsquos set up in the right way helps to reduce
your risk of injury save you time and energy and make you
more productive Try these tips for setting up your work-
space
Get your monitor and keyboard into comfortable posi-tions Offices often have workspace assessors who make
recommendations about how to set up your desk to re-
duce the risk of injury While thatrsquos reason enough
knowing how to set up a safe workspace will also en-
hance your productivity Do some research on workspace
setup and consider getting someone in to set you up
properly Your back eyes and whichever wrist you use to
control your mouse will thank you later
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To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
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and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
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Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
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daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
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hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
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6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
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Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
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Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
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Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
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I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
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What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
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age you to use the two questions above to help you set the
tone for your day Yoursquoll be happier and more productive for
it
2 Create an energisingmorning routineMornings are the toughest part of my day Irsquom a night owl
always have been I do my best most creative work after
10pm (and love binge-watching any half decent television se-
ries which also keeps me up) so Irsquom awake until around 2am
at least a few nights out of the week
This makes it really tough for me to wakeup early and be
productive from the get-go All the more reason for me (and
you even if you are a morning person) to have a solid morn-
ing routine that helps you transition into work mode feeling
strong motivated creative and ready to hit the ground run-
ning
This is what my morning looks like right now
Wake up and get dressed
Water on my face and drink a big glass of cold water
Make breakfast while my wife gets ready for work
Breakfastmdashusually eggs a piece of toast and coff ee
Plan out my day (over breakfast)
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
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Spend a bit if time with my wife (morning time before
our little one wakes up can sometimes be the only quiet
time we get together all day)
My wife heads off for work
Tidy up after breakfast
Set myself up and get to work
This isnrsquot such a bad morning routine and for now it serves
its purpose But Irsquom always one to try and improve If yoursquove
read anything at all about the habits of the worlds mostproductive people yoursquoll know that most of them have a
killer morning routine that includes an early start and some
attention paid to the following three elements physical in-
tellectual spiritual
This usually translates into doing some kind of exercise
reading something that facilitates learning and practicing
meditation or some other way of becoming grounded or ex-
pressing gratitude for lifersquos blessings
So being the aspirational type Irsquove mapped out what Irsquod likemy mornings to look like and Irsquom working towards making
this routine habitual My ideal morning looks something like
this
bull
bull
bull
bull
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Wake up
Water on my face and drink a big glass of cold water
Pilatesmdash20 minutes
Quick shower and get dressed (hotcold)
Make breakfast while my wife gets ready for work
Breakfastmdashsomething healthy
Plan out my day (over breakfast)
Spend a bit of time with my wife before she heads off for
work
My wife heads off for work
Tidy up after breakfast
Meditation
mdash
10 minutes
Set my self up and get to work
As you can see Irsquom currently far form my ideal morning but
I persist in trying to make my morning routine better be-
cause I know it will make me better
The more I work at the ideal morning routine Irsquove designed
the more likely I am to form the habits I need to make my
ideal morning the norm Irsquove formulated a process for get-
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
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ting to my ideal morning To design and stick to your own
ideal morning routine try this
Write down what your morning looks like now Being
honest with onersquos self is the first step toward self-im-
provement and what gets measured gets managed So
by taking stock of what you do now yoursquoll see what
needs to change and how you can take action
Write down what yoursquod like your morning to look like
Your ideal morning Be ambitious and do some research
Pick morning activities that make you want to wake up
which help you to become healthier and happier and
that help you transition into your workday There are a
plethora of books and online resources out there that
can help Download Paul Minorrsquos book summary of
The Miracle Morning and see where that takes you Irsquove
also found MyMorningRoutinecom rsquos weekly newsletter
useful for inspiration and motivation
Re-write your current morning routine but with the ad-dition of one new element from the ideal morning rou-
tine yoursquove just created The first time I started this
process I added drinking a big glass of cold water Irsquod
read that doing this every morning would help me
wake up and would activate my metabolism both of
which sounded like big impact for little eff ort This made
it an easy win and put me on track to adding other morechallenging elements to my morning
Put your new morning routine up on your bedroom wall
or cupboard door so you can see it everyday and make it
easy to follow when you wake up Irsquom incapable of think-
1
2
3
4
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ing for around half-an-hour after I wake up so I use it
like a morning checklist so I donrsquot have to think I just
follow Repetition builds habits
Stick with this new morning routine for one or two
weeks or until the new element becomes a habit andpermanent part of your morning Then introduce one
more new element from your ideal morning and repeat
By focusing on adding just one new element to your morn-
ing routine at a time yoursquore more likely to actually do it and
make it a habit Donrsquot be discouraged if you fail on the up-
take of your new morning routine in the short term Form-
ing new habits takes time and your perseverance will be
worth it to start your day with more energy more focus and
better productivity
3 Create a dedicated
workspaceWhile I was at university I developed this really bad habit of
studying on couches and at coff ee tables As a result when I
got my first office job I really struggled to focus and work
comfortably at a desk
My co-workers would on a pretty regular basis find me
working with headphones in the staff lounge or the cafe
5
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down stairs I eventually
got used to working at a
desk (although I still
slipped out to more com-
fortable surrounds every
now and then and worked
from home whenever I
could) but never really felt
100 comfortable in my
office
When I started working
from home full-time I wasexcited to be back on the
couch Kicking my feet up
while reading laptop on
my lap while writing the
TV at a low roar in the
background (which I justified by saying it helped my keep
up with current aff airs) It was wonderful until deadlinesstarted looming and my focus was nowhere to be found
So I did some research As it turns out when you have re-
laxed or lazy body language you naturally become more
relaxed about your work and your productivity suff ers
The other thing that bothered me over time about working
from my lounge room was that I had to constantly set-up
and then pack-away my stuff before and after working
which was both annoying and time consuming
Between my lazy posture and spending who knows how long
setting up and packing up my productivity was suff ering
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So I built a little nook I bought some pine from the hard-
ware store and got to work putting together some simple
shelves and a little desk
It was perfect It didnrsquot take up a lot of space but it was big
enough for me to be comfortable With that as my primary
work option I was able to move between my nook the
couch and sometimes my backyard or the local cafe (dis-
cussed later) as I needed and never had to set-up or pack-up
my work stuff again
Irsquove recently moved house and now work at a desk in a room
which doubles as our classroom and my offi
ce Knowing thatthe room is only for work and home-schooling helps me to
separate life from work
When your work is always in sight itrsquos always on your mind
Having a dedicated workspace and being able to simply shut
the door when Irsquom not working means I can compartmen-
talise life and my work and can focus on whatrsquos important at
any given time
4 Keep your workspaceclean and organisedThis is one of the best ways to boost productivity People
tend to focus too much on what app they can use to boosttheir productivity when often itrsquos their physical environment
thatrsquos holding them back
Studies have shown that the average worker loses about
an hour a day to disorganisation Consider for a moment
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what that means in productivity terms
Letrsquos say for argumentrsquos sake that you work 5 days per week
and get paid $30 an hour (even if yoursquore a freelancer being
paid by the contract you should still calculate what yoursquore
making per hour worked to maximize your productivity)
Losing that hour a day to disorganisation costs you 5 work-
ing hours every week (thatrsquos more than half a dayrsquos work)
10 hours a fortnight (getting that back could earn you a
long-weekend twice per month) and 260 hours per year
If you work from home for someone else thatrsquos time you
could be spending with your family working out tending to
your garden going out with friends or reading your
favourite book If you work from home as a freelancer that
lost hour per day is costing you $150 per week $300 perfortnight or $7800 per year If yoursquore a business owner with
10 employees theyrsquore costing you $78000 a year in lost pro-
ductivity
If those figures donrsquot make you want to get better organised
I donrsquot know what will Try these tips for optimising your
workspace for maximum productivity
Think of your workspace as a command centre Therersquos a
reason institutions like the military police or fire depart-
ments enforce strict organisational practices Itrsquos because
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when the shit hits the fan they need to be ready to go at a
momentrsquos notice
Imagine being called to put out a fire only to find that you
still havenrsquot rolled up your hose and donrsquot know where your
helmet is If yoursquore an aspiring high performer you also need
to be ready to go at a momentrsquos notice
Over time our offices and desks get so full of useless non-
essential garbage itrsquos not funny Cull it all and get rid of
everything you donrsquot need Be ruthless Old documentsmdashfile
them or chuck them Too many pens
mdash
keep a few on yourdesk and put the rest in your drawer or a cupboard
Also take some time to organise your cords and cables Use
velcro cable-ties to bunch cords together and pick a spot on
your desk (preferably on your dominant hand sidemdashmore
on that later) to keep devices on charge and on-hand
When I was a younger man I would use the single bucket
technique for organising my aff airs You know the one Ok
Irsquoll explain Take income tax for example Receipts and pay-
slips came in I put them all in a single unmarked shoe-box
along with any and everything else (including non-tax re-
lated stuff ) I thought might be important enough to hold on
to and when 30 June came around I would spend hours
sorting receipts throwing half of them away because they
were useless and usually finding a bunch of important docu-
ments missing What and waste of time
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A few years ago I came to my senses and started trying dif-
ferent processes and systems that actually helped me organ-
ise my aff airs in a way that saved time saved eff ort and
which led to better outcomes
If you havenrsquotrsquo read it already David Allenrsquos Getting Things
Done the art of stress-free productivity is a great starting
point for creating systems that will help you do a better job
of managing your aff airs (turns out I was on the right track
though He too uses a bucket system just with more buck-
ets Download the book summary for free here yoursquoll
see)
A work space thatrsquos set up in the right way helps to reduce
your risk of injury save you time and energy and make you
more productive Try these tips for setting up your work-
space
Get your monitor and keyboard into comfortable posi-tions Offices often have workspace assessors who make
recommendations about how to set up your desk to re-
duce the risk of injury While thatrsquos reason enough
knowing how to set up a safe workspace will also en-
hance your productivity Do some research on workspace
setup and consider getting someone in to set you up
properly Your back eyes and whichever wrist you use to
control your mouse will thank you later
bull
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To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
bull
bull
bull
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and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
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Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
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daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
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hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
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6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
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Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
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Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
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think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
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bull
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Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
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I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
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What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
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Spend a bit if time with my wife (morning time before
our little one wakes up can sometimes be the only quiet
time we get together all day)
My wife heads off for work
Tidy up after breakfast
Set myself up and get to work
This isnrsquot such a bad morning routine and for now it serves
its purpose But Irsquom always one to try and improve If yoursquove
read anything at all about the habits of the worlds mostproductive people yoursquoll know that most of them have a
killer morning routine that includes an early start and some
attention paid to the following three elements physical in-
tellectual spiritual
This usually translates into doing some kind of exercise
reading something that facilitates learning and practicing
meditation or some other way of becoming grounded or ex-
pressing gratitude for lifersquos blessings
So being the aspirational type Irsquove mapped out what Irsquod likemy mornings to look like and Irsquom working towards making
this routine habitual My ideal morning looks something like
this
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bull
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Wake up
Water on my face and drink a big glass of cold water
Pilatesmdash20 minutes
Quick shower and get dressed (hotcold)
Make breakfast while my wife gets ready for work
Breakfastmdashsomething healthy
Plan out my day (over breakfast)
Spend a bit of time with my wife before she heads off for
work
My wife heads off for work
Tidy up after breakfast
Meditation
mdash
10 minutes
Set my self up and get to work
As you can see Irsquom currently far form my ideal morning but
I persist in trying to make my morning routine better be-
cause I know it will make me better
The more I work at the ideal morning routine Irsquove designed
the more likely I am to form the habits I need to make my
ideal morning the norm Irsquove formulated a process for get-
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
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bull
bull
bull
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ting to my ideal morning To design and stick to your own
ideal morning routine try this
Write down what your morning looks like now Being
honest with onersquos self is the first step toward self-im-
provement and what gets measured gets managed So
by taking stock of what you do now yoursquoll see what
needs to change and how you can take action
Write down what yoursquod like your morning to look like
Your ideal morning Be ambitious and do some research
Pick morning activities that make you want to wake up
which help you to become healthier and happier and
that help you transition into your workday There are a
plethora of books and online resources out there that
can help Download Paul Minorrsquos book summary of
The Miracle Morning and see where that takes you Irsquove
also found MyMorningRoutinecom rsquos weekly newsletter
useful for inspiration and motivation
Re-write your current morning routine but with the ad-dition of one new element from the ideal morning rou-
tine yoursquove just created The first time I started this
process I added drinking a big glass of cold water Irsquod
read that doing this every morning would help me
wake up and would activate my metabolism both of
which sounded like big impact for little eff ort This made
it an easy win and put me on track to adding other morechallenging elements to my morning
Put your new morning routine up on your bedroom wall
or cupboard door so you can see it everyday and make it
easy to follow when you wake up Irsquom incapable of think-
1
2
3
4
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ing for around half-an-hour after I wake up so I use it
like a morning checklist so I donrsquot have to think I just
follow Repetition builds habits
Stick with this new morning routine for one or two
weeks or until the new element becomes a habit andpermanent part of your morning Then introduce one
more new element from your ideal morning and repeat
By focusing on adding just one new element to your morn-
ing routine at a time yoursquore more likely to actually do it and
make it a habit Donrsquot be discouraged if you fail on the up-
take of your new morning routine in the short term Form-
ing new habits takes time and your perseverance will be
worth it to start your day with more energy more focus and
better productivity
3 Create a dedicated
workspaceWhile I was at university I developed this really bad habit of
studying on couches and at coff ee tables As a result when I
got my first office job I really struggled to focus and work
comfortably at a desk
My co-workers would on a pretty regular basis find me
working with headphones in the staff lounge or the cafe
5
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down stairs I eventually
got used to working at a
desk (although I still
slipped out to more com-
fortable surrounds every
now and then and worked
from home whenever I
could) but never really felt
100 comfortable in my
office
When I started working
from home full-time I wasexcited to be back on the
couch Kicking my feet up
while reading laptop on
my lap while writing the
TV at a low roar in the
background (which I justified by saying it helped my keep
up with current aff airs) It was wonderful until deadlinesstarted looming and my focus was nowhere to be found
So I did some research As it turns out when you have re-
laxed or lazy body language you naturally become more
relaxed about your work and your productivity suff ers
The other thing that bothered me over time about working
from my lounge room was that I had to constantly set-up
and then pack-away my stuff before and after working
which was both annoying and time consuming
Between my lazy posture and spending who knows how long
setting up and packing up my productivity was suff ering
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So I built a little nook I bought some pine from the hard-
ware store and got to work putting together some simple
shelves and a little desk
It was perfect It didnrsquot take up a lot of space but it was big
enough for me to be comfortable With that as my primary
work option I was able to move between my nook the
couch and sometimes my backyard or the local cafe (dis-
cussed later) as I needed and never had to set-up or pack-up
my work stuff again
Irsquove recently moved house and now work at a desk in a room
which doubles as our classroom and my offi
ce Knowing thatthe room is only for work and home-schooling helps me to
separate life from work
When your work is always in sight itrsquos always on your mind
Having a dedicated workspace and being able to simply shut
the door when Irsquom not working means I can compartmen-
talise life and my work and can focus on whatrsquos important at
any given time
4 Keep your workspaceclean and organisedThis is one of the best ways to boost productivity People
tend to focus too much on what app they can use to boosttheir productivity when often itrsquos their physical environment
thatrsquos holding them back
Studies have shown that the average worker loses about
an hour a day to disorganisation Consider for a moment
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what that means in productivity terms
Letrsquos say for argumentrsquos sake that you work 5 days per week
and get paid $30 an hour (even if yoursquore a freelancer being
paid by the contract you should still calculate what yoursquore
making per hour worked to maximize your productivity)
Losing that hour a day to disorganisation costs you 5 work-
ing hours every week (thatrsquos more than half a dayrsquos work)
10 hours a fortnight (getting that back could earn you a
long-weekend twice per month) and 260 hours per year
If you work from home for someone else thatrsquos time you
could be spending with your family working out tending to
your garden going out with friends or reading your
favourite book If you work from home as a freelancer that
lost hour per day is costing you $150 per week $300 perfortnight or $7800 per year If yoursquore a business owner with
10 employees theyrsquore costing you $78000 a year in lost pro-
ductivity
If those figures donrsquot make you want to get better organised
I donrsquot know what will Try these tips for optimising your
workspace for maximum productivity
Think of your workspace as a command centre Therersquos a
reason institutions like the military police or fire depart-
ments enforce strict organisational practices Itrsquos because
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when the shit hits the fan they need to be ready to go at a
momentrsquos notice
Imagine being called to put out a fire only to find that you
still havenrsquot rolled up your hose and donrsquot know where your
helmet is If yoursquore an aspiring high performer you also need
to be ready to go at a momentrsquos notice
Over time our offices and desks get so full of useless non-
essential garbage itrsquos not funny Cull it all and get rid of
everything you donrsquot need Be ruthless Old documentsmdashfile
them or chuck them Too many pens
mdash
keep a few on yourdesk and put the rest in your drawer or a cupboard
Also take some time to organise your cords and cables Use
velcro cable-ties to bunch cords together and pick a spot on
your desk (preferably on your dominant hand sidemdashmore
on that later) to keep devices on charge and on-hand
When I was a younger man I would use the single bucket
technique for organising my aff airs You know the one Ok
Irsquoll explain Take income tax for example Receipts and pay-
slips came in I put them all in a single unmarked shoe-box
along with any and everything else (including non-tax re-
lated stuff ) I thought might be important enough to hold on
to and when 30 June came around I would spend hours
sorting receipts throwing half of them away because they
were useless and usually finding a bunch of important docu-
ments missing What and waste of time
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A few years ago I came to my senses and started trying dif-
ferent processes and systems that actually helped me organ-
ise my aff airs in a way that saved time saved eff ort and
which led to better outcomes
If you havenrsquotrsquo read it already David Allenrsquos Getting Things
Done the art of stress-free productivity is a great starting
point for creating systems that will help you do a better job
of managing your aff airs (turns out I was on the right track
though He too uses a bucket system just with more buck-
ets Download the book summary for free here yoursquoll
see)
A work space thatrsquos set up in the right way helps to reduce
your risk of injury save you time and energy and make you
more productive Try these tips for setting up your work-
space
Get your monitor and keyboard into comfortable posi-tions Offices often have workspace assessors who make
recommendations about how to set up your desk to re-
duce the risk of injury While thatrsquos reason enough
knowing how to set up a safe workspace will also en-
hance your productivity Do some research on workspace
setup and consider getting someone in to set you up
properly Your back eyes and whichever wrist you use to
control your mouse will thank you later
bull
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To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
bull
bull
bull
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and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
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Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
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daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
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hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
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6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
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Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
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Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
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think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
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Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
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Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
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What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
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Wake up
Water on my face and drink a big glass of cold water
Pilatesmdash20 minutes
Quick shower and get dressed (hotcold)
Make breakfast while my wife gets ready for work
Breakfastmdashsomething healthy
Plan out my day (over breakfast)
Spend a bit of time with my wife before she heads off for
work
My wife heads off for work
Tidy up after breakfast
Meditation
mdash
10 minutes
Set my self up and get to work
As you can see Irsquom currently far form my ideal morning but
I persist in trying to make my morning routine better be-
cause I know it will make me better
The more I work at the ideal morning routine Irsquove designed
the more likely I am to form the habits I need to make my
ideal morning the norm Irsquove formulated a process for get-
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
bull
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ting to my ideal morning To design and stick to your own
ideal morning routine try this
Write down what your morning looks like now Being
honest with onersquos self is the first step toward self-im-
provement and what gets measured gets managed So
by taking stock of what you do now yoursquoll see what
needs to change and how you can take action
Write down what yoursquod like your morning to look like
Your ideal morning Be ambitious and do some research
Pick morning activities that make you want to wake up
which help you to become healthier and happier and
that help you transition into your workday There are a
plethora of books and online resources out there that
can help Download Paul Minorrsquos book summary of
The Miracle Morning and see where that takes you Irsquove
also found MyMorningRoutinecom rsquos weekly newsletter
useful for inspiration and motivation
Re-write your current morning routine but with the ad-dition of one new element from the ideal morning rou-
tine yoursquove just created The first time I started this
process I added drinking a big glass of cold water Irsquod
read that doing this every morning would help me
wake up and would activate my metabolism both of
which sounded like big impact for little eff ort This made
it an easy win and put me on track to adding other morechallenging elements to my morning
Put your new morning routine up on your bedroom wall
or cupboard door so you can see it everyday and make it
easy to follow when you wake up Irsquom incapable of think-
1
2
3
4
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Page 10ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
ing for around half-an-hour after I wake up so I use it
like a morning checklist so I donrsquot have to think I just
follow Repetition builds habits
Stick with this new morning routine for one or two
weeks or until the new element becomes a habit andpermanent part of your morning Then introduce one
more new element from your ideal morning and repeat
By focusing on adding just one new element to your morn-
ing routine at a time yoursquore more likely to actually do it and
make it a habit Donrsquot be discouraged if you fail on the up-
take of your new morning routine in the short term Form-
ing new habits takes time and your perseverance will be
worth it to start your day with more energy more focus and
better productivity
3 Create a dedicated
workspaceWhile I was at university I developed this really bad habit of
studying on couches and at coff ee tables As a result when I
got my first office job I really struggled to focus and work
comfortably at a desk
My co-workers would on a pretty regular basis find me
working with headphones in the staff lounge or the cafe
5
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down stairs I eventually
got used to working at a
desk (although I still
slipped out to more com-
fortable surrounds every
now and then and worked
from home whenever I
could) but never really felt
100 comfortable in my
office
When I started working
from home full-time I wasexcited to be back on the
couch Kicking my feet up
while reading laptop on
my lap while writing the
TV at a low roar in the
background (which I justified by saying it helped my keep
up with current aff airs) It was wonderful until deadlinesstarted looming and my focus was nowhere to be found
So I did some research As it turns out when you have re-
laxed or lazy body language you naturally become more
relaxed about your work and your productivity suff ers
The other thing that bothered me over time about working
from my lounge room was that I had to constantly set-up
and then pack-away my stuff before and after working
which was both annoying and time consuming
Between my lazy posture and spending who knows how long
setting up and packing up my productivity was suff ering
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So I built a little nook I bought some pine from the hard-
ware store and got to work putting together some simple
shelves and a little desk
It was perfect It didnrsquot take up a lot of space but it was big
enough for me to be comfortable With that as my primary
work option I was able to move between my nook the
couch and sometimes my backyard or the local cafe (dis-
cussed later) as I needed and never had to set-up or pack-up
my work stuff again
Irsquove recently moved house and now work at a desk in a room
which doubles as our classroom and my offi
ce Knowing thatthe room is only for work and home-schooling helps me to
separate life from work
When your work is always in sight itrsquos always on your mind
Having a dedicated workspace and being able to simply shut
the door when Irsquom not working means I can compartmen-
talise life and my work and can focus on whatrsquos important at
any given time
4 Keep your workspaceclean and organisedThis is one of the best ways to boost productivity People
tend to focus too much on what app they can use to boosttheir productivity when often itrsquos their physical environment
thatrsquos holding them back
Studies have shown that the average worker loses about
an hour a day to disorganisation Consider for a moment
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what that means in productivity terms
Letrsquos say for argumentrsquos sake that you work 5 days per week
and get paid $30 an hour (even if yoursquore a freelancer being
paid by the contract you should still calculate what yoursquore
making per hour worked to maximize your productivity)
Losing that hour a day to disorganisation costs you 5 work-
ing hours every week (thatrsquos more than half a dayrsquos work)
10 hours a fortnight (getting that back could earn you a
long-weekend twice per month) and 260 hours per year
If you work from home for someone else thatrsquos time you
could be spending with your family working out tending to
your garden going out with friends or reading your
favourite book If you work from home as a freelancer that
lost hour per day is costing you $150 per week $300 perfortnight or $7800 per year If yoursquore a business owner with
10 employees theyrsquore costing you $78000 a year in lost pro-
ductivity
If those figures donrsquot make you want to get better organised
I donrsquot know what will Try these tips for optimising your
workspace for maximum productivity
Think of your workspace as a command centre Therersquos a
reason institutions like the military police or fire depart-
ments enforce strict organisational practices Itrsquos because
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when the shit hits the fan they need to be ready to go at a
momentrsquos notice
Imagine being called to put out a fire only to find that you
still havenrsquot rolled up your hose and donrsquot know where your
helmet is If yoursquore an aspiring high performer you also need
to be ready to go at a momentrsquos notice
Over time our offices and desks get so full of useless non-
essential garbage itrsquos not funny Cull it all and get rid of
everything you donrsquot need Be ruthless Old documentsmdashfile
them or chuck them Too many pens
mdash
keep a few on yourdesk and put the rest in your drawer or a cupboard
Also take some time to organise your cords and cables Use
velcro cable-ties to bunch cords together and pick a spot on
your desk (preferably on your dominant hand sidemdashmore
on that later) to keep devices on charge and on-hand
When I was a younger man I would use the single bucket
technique for organising my aff airs You know the one Ok
Irsquoll explain Take income tax for example Receipts and pay-
slips came in I put them all in a single unmarked shoe-box
along with any and everything else (including non-tax re-
lated stuff ) I thought might be important enough to hold on
to and when 30 June came around I would spend hours
sorting receipts throwing half of them away because they
were useless and usually finding a bunch of important docu-
ments missing What and waste of time
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A few years ago I came to my senses and started trying dif-
ferent processes and systems that actually helped me organ-
ise my aff airs in a way that saved time saved eff ort and
which led to better outcomes
If you havenrsquotrsquo read it already David Allenrsquos Getting Things
Done the art of stress-free productivity is a great starting
point for creating systems that will help you do a better job
of managing your aff airs (turns out I was on the right track
though He too uses a bucket system just with more buck-
ets Download the book summary for free here yoursquoll
see)
A work space thatrsquos set up in the right way helps to reduce
your risk of injury save you time and energy and make you
more productive Try these tips for setting up your work-
space
Get your monitor and keyboard into comfortable posi-tions Offices often have workspace assessors who make
recommendations about how to set up your desk to re-
duce the risk of injury While thatrsquos reason enough
knowing how to set up a safe workspace will also en-
hance your productivity Do some research on workspace
setup and consider getting someone in to set you up
properly Your back eyes and whichever wrist you use to
control your mouse will thank you later
bull
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To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
bull
bull
bull
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and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
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Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
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daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
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Page 20ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
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Page 21ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
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Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
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Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
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think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
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Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
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Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
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What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
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ting to my ideal morning To design and stick to your own
ideal morning routine try this
Write down what your morning looks like now Being
honest with onersquos self is the first step toward self-im-
provement and what gets measured gets managed So
by taking stock of what you do now yoursquoll see what
needs to change and how you can take action
Write down what yoursquod like your morning to look like
Your ideal morning Be ambitious and do some research
Pick morning activities that make you want to wake up
which help you to become healthier and happier and
that help you transition into your workday There are a
plethora of books and online resources out there that
can help Download Paul Minorrsquos book summary of
The Miracle Morning and see where that takes you Irsquove
also found MyMorningRoutinecom rsquos weekly newsletter
useful for inspiration and motivation
Re-write your current morning routine but with the ad-dition of one new element from the ideal morning rou-
tine yoursquove just created The first time I started this
process I added drinking a big glass of cold water Irsquod
read that doing this every morning would help me
wake up and would activate my metabolism both of
which sounded like big impact for little eff ort This made
it an easy win and put me on track to adding other morechallenging elements to my morning
Put your new morning routine up on your bedroom wall
or cupboard door so you can see it everyday and make it
easy to follow when you wake up Irsquom incapable of think-
1
2
3
4
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ing for around half-an-hour after I wake up so I use it
like a morning checklist so I donrsquot have to think I just
follow Repetition builds habits
Stick with this new morning routine for one or two
weeks or until the new element becomes a habit andpermanent part of your morning Then introduce one
more new element from your ideal morning and repeat
By focusing on adding just one new element to your morn-
ing routine at a time yoursquore more likely to actually do it and
make it a habit Donrsquot be discouraged if you fail on the up-
take of your new morning routine in the short term Form-
ing new habits takes time and your perseverance will be
worth it to start your day with more energy more focus and
better productivity
3 Create a dedicated
workspaceWhile I was at university I developed this really bad habit of
studying on couches and at coff ee tables As a result when I
got my first office job I really struggled to focus and work
comfortably at a desk
My co-workers would on a pretty regular basis find me
working with headphones in the staff lounge or the cafe
5
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down stairs I eventually
got used to working at a
desk (although I still
slipped out to more com-
fortable surrounds every
now and then and worked
from home whenever I
could) but never really felt
100 comfortable in my
office
When I started working
from home full-time I wasexcited to be back on the
couch Kicking my feet up
while reading laptop on
my lap while writing the
TV at a low roar in the
background (which I justified by saying it helped my keep
up with current aff airs) It was wonderful until deadlinesstarted looming and my focus was nowhere to be found
So I did some research As it turns out when you have re-
laxed or lazy body language you naturally become more
relaxed about your work and your productivity suff ers
The other thing that bothered me over time about working
from my lounge room was that I had to constantly set-up
and then pack-away my stuff before and after working
which was both annoying and time consuming
Between my lazy posture and spending who knows how long
setting up and packing up my productivity was suff ering
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So I built a little nook I bought some pine from the hard-
ware store and got to work putting together some simple
shelves and a little desk
It was perfect It didnrsquot take up a lot of space but it was big
enough for me to be comfortable With that as my primary
work option I was able to move between my nook the
couch and sometimes my backyard or the local cafe (dis-
cussed later) as I needed and never had to set-up or pack-up
my work stuff again
Irsquove recently moved house and now work at a desk in a room
which doubles as our classroom and my offi
ce Knowing thatthe room is only for work and home-schooling helps me to
separate life from work
When your work is always in sight itrsquos always on your mind
Having a dedicated workspace and being able to simply shut
the door when Irsquom not working means I can compartmen-
talise life and my work and can focus on whatrsquos important at
any given time
4 Keep your workspaceclean and organisedThis is one of the best ways to boost productivity People
tend to focus too much on what app they can use to boosttheir productivity when often itrsquos their physical environment
thatrsquos holding them back
Studies have shown that the average worker loses about
an hour a day to disorganisation Consider for a moment
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what that means in productivity terms
Letrsquos say for argumentrsquos sake that you work 5 days per week
and get paid $30 an hour (even if yoursquore a freelancer being
paid by the contract you should still calculate what yoursquore
making per hour worked to maximize your productivity)
Losing that hour a day to disorganisation costs you 5 work-
ing hours every week (thatrsquos more than half a dayrsquos work)
10 hours a fortnight (getting that back could earn you a
long-weekend twice per month) and 260 hours per year
If you work from home for someone else thatrsquos time you
could be spending with your family working out tending to
your garden going out with friends or reading your
favourite book If you work from home as a freelancer that
lost hour per day is costing you $150 per week $300 perfortnight or $7800 per year If yoursquore a business owner with
10 employees theyrsquore costing you $78000 a year in lost pro-
ductivity
If those figures donrsquot make you want to get better organised
I donrsquot know what will Try these tips for optimising your
workspace for maximum productivity
Think of your workspace as a command centre Therersquos a
reason institutions like the military police or fire depart-
ments enforce strict organisational practices Itrsquos because
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when the shit hits the fan they need to be ready to go at a
momentrsquos notice
Imagine being called to put out a fire only to find that you
still havenrsquot rolled up your hose and donrsquot know where your
helmet is If yoursquore an aspiring high performer you also need
to be ready to go at a momentrsquos notice
Over time our offices and desks get so full of useless non-
essential garbage itrsquos not funny Cull it all and get rid of
everything you donrsquot need Be ruthless Old documentsmdashfile
them or chuck them Too many pens
mdash
keep a few on yourdesk and put the rest in your drawer or a cupboard
Also take some time to organise your cords and cables Use
velcro cable-ties to bunch cords together and pick a spot on
your desk (preferably on your dominant hand sidemdashmore
on that later) to keep devices on charge and on-hand
When I was a younger man I would use the single bucket
technique for organising my aff airs You know the one Ok
Irsquoll explain Take income tax for example Receipts and pay-
slips came in I put them all in a single unmarked shoe-box
along with any and everything else (including non-tax re-
lated stuff ) I thought might be important enough to hold on
to and when 30 June came around I would spend hours
sorting receipts throwing half of them away because they
were useless and usually finding a bunch of important docu-
ments missing What and waste of time
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A few years ago I came to my senses and started trying dif-
ferent processes and systems that actually helped me organ-
ise my aff airs in a way that saved time saved eff ort and
which led to better outcomes
If you havenrsquotrsquo read it already David Allenrsquos Getting Things
Done the art of stress-free productivity is a great starting
point for creating systems that will help you do a better job
of managing your aff airs (turns out I was on the right track
though He too uses a bucket system just with more buck-
ets Download the book summary for free here yoursquoll
see)
A work space thatrsquos set up in the right way helps to reduce
your risk of injury save you time and energy and make you
more productive Try these tips for setting up your work-
space
Get your monitor and keyboard into comfortable posi-tions Offices often have workspace assessors who make
recommendations about how to set up your desk to re-
duce the risk of injury While thatrsquos reason enough
knowing how to set up a safe workspace will also en-
hance your productivity Do some research on workspace
setup and consider getting someone in to set you up
properly Your back eyes and whichever wrist you use to
control your mouse will thank you later
bull
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To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
bull
bull
bull
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and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
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Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
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daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
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Page 20ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
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Page 21ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
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Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
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Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
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think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
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Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
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Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
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What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
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Page 10ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
ing for around half-an-hour after I wake up so I use it
like a morning checklist so I donrsquot have to think I just
follow Repetition builds habits
Stick with this new morning routine for one or two
weeks or until the new element becomes a habit andpermanent part of your morning Then introduce one
more new element from your ideal morning and repeat
By focusing on adding just one new element to your morn-
ing routine at a time yoursquore more likely to actually do it and
make it a habit Donrsquot be discouraged if you fail on the up-
take of your new morning routine in the short term Form-
ing new habits takes time and your perseverance will be
worth it to start your day with more energy more focus and
better productivity
3 Create a dedicated
workspaceWhile I was at university I developed this really bad habit of
studying on couches and at coff ee tables As a result when I
got my first office job I really struggled to focus and work
comfortably at a desk
My co-workers would on a pretty regular basis find me
working with headphones in the staff lounge or the cafe
5
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down stairs I eventually
got used to working at a
desk (although I still
slipped out to more com-
fortable surrounds every
now and then and worked
from home whenever I
could) but never really felt
100 comfortable in my
office
When I started working
from home full-time I wasexcited to be back on the
couch Kicking my feet up
while reading laptop on
my lap while writing the
TV at a low roar in the
background (which I justified by saying it helped my keep
up with current aff airs) It was wonderful until deadlinesstarted looming and my focus was nowhere to be found
So I did some research As it turns out when you have re-
laxed or lazy body language you naturally become more
relaxed about your work and your productivity suff ers
The other thing that bothered me over time about working
from my lounge room was that I had to constantly set-up
and then pack-away my stuff before and after working
which was both annoying and time consuming
Between my lazy posture and spending who knows how long
setting up and packing up my productivity was suff ering
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So I built a little nook I bought some pine from the hard-
ware store and got to work putting together some simple
shelves and a little desk
It was perfect It didnrsquot take up a lot of space but it was big
enough for me to be comfortable With that as my primary
work option I was able to move between my nook the
couch and sometimes my backyard or the local cafe (dis-
cussed later) as I needed and never had to set-up or pack-up
my work stuff again
Irsquove recently moved house and now work at a desk in a room
which doubles as our classroom and my offi
ce Knowing thatthe room is only for work and home-schooling helps me to
separate life from work
When your work is always in sight itrsquos always on your mind
Having a dedicated workspace and being able to simply shut
the door when Irsquom not working means I can compartmen-
talise life and my work and can focus on whatrsquos important at
any given time
4 Keep your workspaceclean and organisedThis is one of the best ways to boost productivity People
tend to focus too much on what app they can use to boosttheir productivity when often itrsquos their physical environment
thatrsquos holding them back
Studies have shown that the average worker loses about
an hour a day to disorganisation Consider for a moment
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what that means in productivity terms
Letrsquos say for argumentrsquos sake that you work 5 days per week
and get paid $30 an hour (even if yoursquore a freelancer being
paid by the contract you should still calculate what yoursquore
making per hour worked to maximize your productivity)
Losing that hour a day to disorganisation costs you 5 work-
ing hours every week (thatrsquos more than half a dayrsquos work)
10 hours a fortnight (getting that back could earn you a
long-weekend twice per month) and 260 hours per year
If you work from home for someone else thatrsquos time you
could be spending with your family working out tending to
your garden going out with friends or reading your
favourite book If you work from home as a freelancer that
lost hour per day is costing you $150 per week $300 perfortnight or $7800 per year If yoursquore a business owner with
10 employees theyrsquore costing you $78000 a year in lost pro-
ductivity
If those figures donrsquot make you want to get better organised
I donrsquot know what will Try these tips for optimising your
workspace for maximum productivity
Think of your workspace as a command centre Therersquos a
reason institutions like the military police or fire depart-
ments enforce strict organisational practices Itrsquos because
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when the shit hits the fan they need to be ready to go at a
momentrsquos notice
Imagine being called to put out a fire only to find that you
still havenrsquot rolled up your hose and donrsquot know where your
helmet is If yoursquore an aspiring high performer you also need
to be ready to go at a momentrsquos notice
Over time our offices and desks get so full of useless non-
essential garbage itrsquos not funny Cull it all and get rid of
everything you donrsquot need Be ruthless Old documentsmdashfile
them or chuck them Too many pens
mdash
keep a few on yourdesk and put the rest in your drawer or a cupboard
Also take some time to organise your cords and cables Use
velcro cable-ties to bunch cords together and pick a spot on
your desk (preferably on your dominant hand sidemdashmore
on that later) to keep devices on charge and on-hand
When I was a younger man I would use the single bucket
technique for organising my aff airs You know the one Ok
Irsquoll explain Take income tax for example Receipts and pay-
slips came in I put them all in a single unmarked shoe-box
along with any and everything else (including non-tax re-
lated stuff ) I thought might be important enough to hold on
to and when 30 June came around I would spend hours
sorting receipts throwing half of them away because they
were useless and usually finding a bunch of important docu-
ments missing What and waste of time
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A few years ago I came to my senses and started trying dif-
ferent processes and systems that actually helped me organ-
ise my aff airs in a way that saved time saved eff ort and
which led to better outcomes
If you havenrsquotrsquo read it already David Allenrsquos Getting Things
Done the art of stress-free productivity is a great starting
point for creating systems that will help you do a better job
of managing your aff airs (turns out I was on the right track
though He too uses a bucket system just with more buck-
ets Download the book summary for free here yoursquoll
see)
A work space thatrsquos set up in the right way helps to reduce
your risk of injury save you time and energy and make you
more productive Try these tips for setting up your work-
space
Get your monitor and keyboard into comfortable posi-tions Offices often have workspace assessors who make
recommendations about how to set up your desk to re-
duce the risk of injury While thatrsquos reason enough
knowing how to set up a safe workspace will also en-
hance your productivity Do some research on workspace
setup and consider getting someone in to set you up
properly Your back eyes and whichever wrist you use to
control your mouse will thank you later
bull
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To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
bull
bull
bull
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Page 17ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
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Page 18ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
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daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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Page 20ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
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Page 21ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
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Page 22ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
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Page 23ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
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Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
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Page 25ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
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Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
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What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
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Page 11ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
down stairs I eventually
got used to working at a
desk (although I still
slipped out to more com-
fortable surrounds every
now and then and worked
from home whenever I
could) but never really felt
100 comfortable in my
office
When I started working
from home full-time I wasexcited to be back on the
couch Kicking my feet up
while reading laptop on
my lap while writing the
TV at a low roar in the
background (which I justified by saying it helped my keep
up with current aff airs) It was wonderful until deadlinesstarted looming and my focus was nowhere to be found
So I did some research As it turns out when you have re-
laxed or lazy body language you naturally become more
relaxed about your work and your productivity suff ers
The other thing that bothered me over time about working
from my lounge room was that I had to constantly set-up
and then pack-away my stuff before and after working
which was both annoying and time consuming
Between my lazy posture and spending who knows how long
setting up and packing up my productivity was suff ering
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So I built a little nook I bought some pine from the hard-
ware store and got to work putting together some simple
shelves and a little desk
It was perfect It didnrsquot take up a lot of space but it was big
enough for me to be comfortable With that as my primary
work option I was able to move between my nook the
couch and sometimes my backyard or the local cafe (dis-
cussed later) as I needed and never had to set-up or pack-up
my work stuff again
Irsquove recently moved house and now work at a desk in a room
which doubles as our classroom and my offi
ce Knowing thatthe room is only for work and home-schooling helps me to
separate life from work
When your work is always in sight itrsquos always on your mind
Having a dedicated workspace and being able to simply shut
the door when Irsquom not working means I can compartmen-
talise life and my work and can focus on whatrsquos important at
any given time
4 Keep your workspaceclean and organisedThis is one of the best ways to boost productivity People
tend to focus too much on what app they can use to boosttheir productivity when often itrsquos their physical environment
thatrsquos holding them back
Studies have shown that the average worker loses about
an hour a day to disorganisation Consider for a moment
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what that means in productivity terms
Letrsquos say for argumentrsquos sake that you work 5 days per week
and get paid $30 an hour (even if yoursquore a freelancer being
paid by the contract you should still calculate what yoursquore
making per hour worked to maximize your productivity)
Losing that hour a day to disorganisation costs you 5 work-
ing hours every week (thatrsquos more than half a dayrsquos work)
10 hours a fortnight (getting that back could earn you a
long-weekend twice per month) and 260 hours per year
If you work from home for someone else thatrsquos time you
could be spending with your family working out tending to
your garden going out with friends or reading your
favourite book If you work from home as a freelancer that
lost hour per day is costing you $150 per week $300 perfortnight or $7800 per year If yoursquore a business owner with
10 employees theyrsquore costing you $78000 a year in lost pro-
ductivity
If those figures donrsquot make you want to get better organised
I donrsquot know what will Try these tips for optimising your
workspace for maximum productivity
Think of your workspace as a command centre Therersquos a
reason institutions like the military police or fire depart-
ments enforce strict organisational practices Itrsquos because
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when the shit hits the fan they need to be ready to go at a
momentrsquos notice
Imagine being called to put out a fire only to find that you
still havenrsquot rolled up your hose and donrsquot know where your
helmet is If yoursquore an aspiring high performer you also need
to be ready to go at a momentrsquos notice
Over time our offices and desks get so full of useless non-
essential garbage itrsquos not funny Cull it all and get rid of
everything you donrsquot need Be ruthless Old documentsmdashfile
them or chuck them Too many pens
mdash
keep a few on yourdesk and put the rest in your drawer or a cupboard
Also take some time to organise your cords and cables Use
velcro cable-ties to bunch cords together and pick a spot on
your desk (preferably on your dominant hand sidemdashmore
on that later) to keep devices on charge and on-hand
When I was a younger man I would use the single bucket
technique for organising my aff airs You know the one Ok
Irsquoll explain Take income tax for example Receipts and pay-
slips came in I put them all in a single unmarked shoe-box
along with any and everything else (including non-tax re-
lated stuff ) I thought might be important enough to hold on
to and when 30 June came around I would spend hours
sorting receipts throwing half of them away because they
were useless and usually finding a bunch of important docu-
ments missing What and waste of time
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Page 15ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
A few years ago I came to my senses and started trying dif-
ferent processes and systems that actually helped me organ-
ise my aff airs in a way that saved time saved eff ort and
which led to better outcomes
If you havenrsquotrsquo read it already David Allenrsquos Getting Things
Done the art of stress-free productivity is a great starting
point for creating systems that will help you do a better job
of managing your aff airs (turns out I was on the right track
though He too uses a bucket system just with more buck-
ets Download the book summary for free here yoursquoll
see)
A work space thatrsquos set up in the right way helps to reduce
your risk of injury save you time and energy and make you
more productive Try these tips for setting up your work-
space
Get your monitor and keyboard into comfortable posi-tions Offices often have workspace assessors who make
recommendations about how to set up your desk to re-
duce the risk of injury While thatrsquos reason enough
knowing how to set up a safe workspace will also en-
hance your productivity Do some research on workspace
setup and consider getting someone in to set you up
properly Your back eyes and whichever wrist you use to
control your mouse will thank you later
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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Page 16ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
bull
bull
bull
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Page 17ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
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Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
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daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
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hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
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6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
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Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
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Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
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Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
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Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
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What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
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So I built a little nook I bought some pine from the hard-
ware store and got to work putting together some simple
shelves and a little desk
It was perfect It didnrsquot take up a lot of space but it was big
enough for me to be comfortable With that as my primary
work option I was able to move between my nook the
couch and sometimes my backyard or the local cafe (dis-
cussed later) as I needed and never had to set-up or pack-up
my work stuff again
Irsquove recently moved house and now work at a desk in a room
which doubles as our classroom and my offi
ce Knowing thatthe room is only for work and home-schooling helps me to
separate life from work
When your work is always in sight itrsquos always on your mind
Having a dedicated workspace and being able to simply shut
the door when Irsquom not working means I can compartmen-
talise life and my work and can focus on whatrsquos important at
any given time
4 Keep your workspaceclean and organisedThis is one of the best ways to boost productivity People
tend to focus too much on what app they can use to boosttheir productivity when often itrsquos their physical environment
thatrsquos holding them back
Studies have shown that the average worker loses about
an hour a day to disorganisation Consider for a moment
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what that means in productivity terms
Letrsquos say for argumentrsquos sake that you work 5 days per week
and get paid $30 an hour (even if yoursquore a freelancer being
paid by the contract you should still calculate what yoursquore
making per hour worked to maximize your productivity)
Losing that hour a day to disorganisation costs you 5 work-
ing hours every week (thatrsquos more than half a dayrsquos work)
10 hours a fortnight (getting that back could earn you a
long-weekend twice per month) and 260 hours per year
If you work from home for someone else thatrsquos time you
could be spending with your family working out tending to
your garden going out with friends or reading your
favourite book If you work from home as a freelancer that
lost hour per day is costing you $150 per week $300 perfortnight or $7800 per year If yoursquore a business owner with
10 employees theyrsquore costing you $78000 a year in lost pro-
ductivity
If those figures donrsquot make you want to get better organised
I donrsquot know what will Try these tips for optimising your
workspace for maximum productivity
Think of your workspace as a command centre Therersquos a
reason institutions like the military police or fire depart-
ments enforce strict organisational practices Itrsquos because
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when the shit hits the fan they need to be ready to go at a
momentrsquos notice
Imagine being called to put out a fire only to find that you
still havenrsquot rolled up your hose and donrsquot know where your
helmet is If yoursquore an aspiring high performer you also need
to be ready to go at a momentrsquos notice
Over time our offices and desks get so full of useless non-
essential garbage itrsquos not funny Cull it all and get rid of
everything you donrsquot need Be ruthless Old documentsmdashfile
them or chuck them Too many pens
mdash
keep a few on yourdesk and put the rest in your drawer or a cupboard
Also take some time to organise your cords and cables Use
velcro cable-ties to bunch cords together and pick a spot on
your desk (preferably on your dominant hand sidemdashmore
on that later) to keep devices on charge and on-hand
When I was a younger man I would use the single bucket
technique for organising my aff airs You know the one Ok
Irsquoll explain Take income tax for example Receipts and pay-
slips came in I put them all in a single unmarked shoe-box
along with any and everything else (including non-tax re-
lated stuff ) I thought might be important enough to hold on
to and when 30 June came around I would spend hours
sorting receipts throwing half of them away because they
were useless and usually finding a bunch of important docu-
ments missing What and waste of time
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A few years ago I came to my senses and started trying dif-
ferent processes and systems that actually helped me organ-
ise my aff airs in a way that saved time saved eff ort and
which led to better outcomes
If you havenrsquotrsquo read it already David Allenrsquos Getting Things
Done the art of stress-free productivity is a great starting
point for creating systems that will help you do a better job
of managing your aff airs (turns out I was on the right track
though He too uses a bucket system just with more buck-
ets Download the book summary for free here yoursquoll
see)
A work space thatrsquos set up in the right way helps to reduce
your risk of injury save you time and energy and make you
more productive Try these tips for setting up your work-
space
Get your monitor and keyboard into comfortable posi-tions Offices often have workspace assessors who make
recommendations about how to set up your desk to re-
duce the risk of injury While thatrsquos reason enough
knowing how to set up a safe workspace will also en-
hance your productivity Do some research on workspace
setup and consider getting someone in to set you up
properly Your back eyes and whichever wrist you use to
control your mouse will thank you later
bull
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To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
bull
bull
bull
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Page 17ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
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Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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Page 19ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 20ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
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Page 21ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
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2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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Page 23ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 25ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
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Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
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Page 13ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
what that means in productivity terms
Letrsquos say for argumentrsquos sake that you work 5 days per week
and get paid $30 an hour (even if yoursquore a freelancer being
paid by the contract you should still calculate what yoursquore
making per hour worked to maximize your productivity)
Losing that hour a day to disorganisation costs you 5 work-
ing hours every week (thatrsquos more than half a dayrsquos work)
10 hours a fortnight (getting that back could earn you a
long-weekend twice per month) and 260 hours per year
If you work from home for someone else thatrsquos time you
could be spending with your family working out tending to
your garden going out with friends or reading your
favourite book If you work from home as a freelancer that
lost hour per day is costing you $150 per week $300 perfortnight or $7800 per year If yoursquore a business owner with
10 employees theyrsquore costing you $78000 a year in lost pro-
ductivity
If those figures donrsquot make you want to get better organised
I donrsquot know what will Try these tips for optimising your
workspace for maximum productivity
Think of your workspace as a command centre Therersquos a
reason institutions like the military police or fire depart-
ments enforce strict organisational practices Itrsquos because
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Page 14ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
when the shit hits the fan they need to be ready to go at a
momentrsquos notice
Imagine being called to put out a fire only to find that you
still havenrsquot rolled up your hose and donrsquot know where your
helmet is If yoursquore an aspiring high performer you also need
to be ready to go at a momentrsquos notice
Over time our offices and desks get so full of useless non-
essential garbage itrsquos not funny Cull it all and get rid of
everything you donrsquot need Be ruthless Old documentsmdashfile
them or chuck them Too many pens
mdash
keep a few on yourdesk and put the rest in your drawer or a cupboard
Also take some time to organise your cords and cables Use
velcro cable-ties to bunch cords together and pick a spot on
your desk (preferably on your dominant hand sidemdashmore
on that later) to keep devices on charge and on-hand
When I was a younger man I would use the single bucket
technique for organising my aff airs You know the one Ok
Irsquoll explain Take income tax for example Receipts and pay-
slips came in I put them all in a single unmarked shoe-box
along with any and everything else (including non-tax re-
lated stuff ) I thought might be important enough to hold on
to and when 30 June came around I would spend hours
sorting receipts throwing half of them away because they
were useless and usually finding a bunch of important docu-
ments missing What and waste of time
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Page 15ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
A few years ago I came to my senses and started trying dif-
ferent processes and systems that actually helped me organ-
ise my aff airs in a way that saved time saved eff ort and
which led to better outcomes
If you havenrsquotrsquo read it already David Allenrsquos Getting Things
Done the art of stress-free productivity is a great starting
point for creating systems that will help you do a better job
of managing your aff airs (turns out I was on the right track
though He too uses a bucket system just with more buck-
ets Download the book summary for free here yoursquoll
see)
A work space thatrsquos set up in the right way helps to reduce
your risk of injury save you time and energy and make you
more productive Try these tips for setting up your work-
space
Get your monitor and keyboard into comfortable posi-tions Offices often have workspace assessors who make
recommendations about how to set up your desk to re-
duce the risk of injury While thatrsquos reason enough
knowing how to set up a safe workspace will also en-
hance your productivity Do some research on workspace
setup and consider getting someone in to set you up
properly Your back eyes and whichever wrist you use to
control your mouse will thank you later
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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Page 16ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
bull
bull
bull
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Page 17ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
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Page 18ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
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Page 19ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
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Page 20ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
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Page 21ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
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Page 22ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
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httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2328
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Page 23ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2428
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
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Page 25ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 14ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
when the shit hits the fan they need to be ready to go at a
momentrsquos notice
Imagine being called to put out a fire only to find that you
still havenrsquot rolled up your hose and donrsquot know where your
helmet is If yoursquore an aspiring high performer you also need
to be ready to go at a momentrsquos notice
Over time our offices and desks get so full of useless non-
essential garbage itrsquos not funny Cull it all and get rid of
everything you donrsquot need Be ruthless Old documentsmdashfile
them or chuck them Too many pens
mdash
keep a few on yourdesk and put the rest in your drawer or a cupboard
Also take some time to organise your cords and cables Use
velcro cable-ties to bunch cords together and pick a spot on
your desk (preferably on your dominant hand sidemdashmore
on that later) to keep devices on charge and on-hand
When I was a younger man I would use the single bucket
technique for organising my aff airs You know the one Ok
Irsquoll explain Take income tax for example Receipts and pay-
slips came in I put them all in a single unmarked shoe-box
along with any and everything else (including non-tax re-
lated stuff ) I thought might be important enough to hold on
to and when 30 June came around I would spend hours
sorting receipts throwing half of them away because they
were useless and usually finding a bunch of important docu-
ments missing What and waste of time
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 15ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
A few years ago I came to my senses and started trying dif-
ferent processes and systems that actually helped me organ-
ise my aff airs in a way that saved time saved eff ort and
which led to better outcomes
If you havenrsquotrsquo read it already David Allenrsquos Getting Things
Done the art of stress-free productivity is a great starting
point for creating systems that will help you do a better job
of managing your aff airs (turns out I was on the right track
though He too uses a bucket system just with more buck-
ets Download the book summary for free here yoursquoll
see)
A work space thatrsquos set up in the right way helps to reduce
your risk of injury save you time and energy and make you
more productive Try these tips for setting up your work-
space
Get your monitor and keyboard into comfortable posi-tions Offices often have workspace assessors who make
recommendations about how to set up your desk to re-
duce the risk of injury While thatrsquos reason enough
knowing how to set up a safe workspace will also en-
hance your productivity Do some research on workspace
setup and consider getting someone in to set you up
properly Your back eyes and whichever wrist you use to
control your mouse will thank you later
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 16ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
bull
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 17ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 18ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1928
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 19ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 20ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 21ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 22ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2328
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 23ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2428
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2528
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 25ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1528
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 15ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
A few years ago I came to my senses and started trying dif-
ferent processes and systems that actually helped me organ-
ise my aff airs in a way that saved time saved eff ort and
which led to better outcomes
If you havenrsquotrsquo read it already David Allenrsquos Getting Things
Done the art of stress-free productivity is a great starting
point for creating systems that will help you do a better job
of managing your aff airs (turns out I was on the right track
though He too uses a bucket system just with more buck-
ets Download the book summary for free here yoursquoll
see)
A work space thatrsquos set up in the right way helps to reduce
your risk of injury save you time and energy and make you
more productive Try these tips for setting up your work-
space
Get your monitor and keyboard into comfortable posi-tions Offices often have workspace assessors who make
recommendations about how to set up your desk to re-
duce the risk of injury While thatrsquos reason enough
knowing how to set up a safe workspace will also en-
hance your productivity Do some research on workspace
setup and consider getting someone in to set you up
properly Your back eyes and whichever wrist you use to
control your mouse will thank you later
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 16ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
bull
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 17ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 18ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1928
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 19ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2028
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 20ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2128
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 21ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2228
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 22ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2328
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 23ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2428
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2528
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 25ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 16ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
To reduce clutter only keep on your desk the office sup-
plies that you use on a daily basis Keep supplies you use
weekly in your desk drawer and all others in a cupboard
Keep regularly used stationery and your devices on your
dominant-hand side of your desk to reduce reaching
across your body Sounds small but it will save you time
and energy
Keep your desk clear but be sure to include anything you
need to facilitate the operation of your systems ie in-
trays and file holders (donrsquot go too minimalist) Avoid
keeping too many personal trinkets on your desk mdash
theyrsquore just a distraction and yoursquore already at home so
therersquos no need to be reminded about how cute your cat
is
Itrsquos common for employees in government departments and
some big companies to have to ensure that all desks are clear
bull
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 17ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 18ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1928
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 19ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2028
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 20ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2128
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 21ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2228
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 22ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2328
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 23ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2428
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2528
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 25ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 17ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
and clean before they go home You should do the same in
your home office With a clear desk yoursquoll be able to focus
on work when itrsquos work time and forget about work when itrsquos
not
It will be a pain in your proverbial at first but once yoursquove
been practicing a clear-desk policy for a couple of weeks it
should only take you 5 minutes in the morning and evening
to pull out and put away what ever it is yoursquore working on at
the time If it helps you to save an hour a day itrsquos a winning
investment of your time
Even after changing your mindset de-cluttering putting sys-
tems in place and setting up your desk properly yoursquore still
going to get a build up of unnecessary papers and things lay-
ing around over time Schedule a workspace clean up in
your calendar once a month or so to keep your desk in tip-
top shape
5 Create and follow aroutineProductivity does not come naturally to me Irsquove always been
a creature of habit at times they just havenrsquot been good
ones Thatrsquos changed a lot over the past few years As the ne-
cessity to work either on the road or from home has in-
creased so has my focus and concentration on being as
productive as possible
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 18ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1928
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 19ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2028
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 20ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2128
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 21ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2228
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 22ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2328
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 23ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2428
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2528
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 25ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 18ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Bill Gates famously said and Irsquom paraphrasing that he will
always hire a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy
person will find the easiest way to do it As a person of quite
considerable laziness I can tell you that the easiest way to
manage heavy workloads competing priorities and still
make room for the important things in life is to create and
follow a routine
Just like my morning routine which Irsquove all but automated
and continue to work on I try to schedule as much of my
day as possible This helps me to know what I should be
working on where Irsquom meant to be and when Since most of
my activities are scheduled in at the same time most days
my schedule has turned into a very simple daily routine
thatrsquos easy for me to follow
There are a bunch of easy-to-use apps out there that can
help you schedule your day but in the end following a rou-
tine comes down to your own priorities Herersquos how Irsquove de-
veloped my daily routine
We all have priorities but most of us are terrible at putting
the things that are most important to us first Myself includ-
ed So when I set out to create my routine I started by list-
ing the top few things that are most important to me in
priority order For me these are 1 home-schooling my
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1928
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 19ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2028
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 20ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2128
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 21ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2228
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 22ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2328
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 23ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2428
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2528
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 25ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 1928
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 19ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
daughter and supporting my wifersquos career 2 studying and
personal development 3 building my business and 4 my
blog I keep this list written on a post-it on the wall above
my desk to remind me of whatrsquos most important
Since there is no question in my mind about what is most
important to me the time I allocate to the activities I under-
take on a daily basis is easily prioritised When I designed
my routine my second step was to allocate blocks of time
during my day for each activity starting with my first priori-
ty then second and so on So not only am I following a
daily routine the routine I have helps me take care of the
things that matter most at a time thatrsquos optimal
One of the great things about working from home is that
you can set your own agenda and work when it suits you
My third step in designing my daily routine was to take a
good hard look at myself to figure out when Irsquom most fo-
cused and productive For me thatrsquos at night time So I
schedule most of my study and work hours in the evening
typically after 1030pm when everythingrsquos quiet and my
family has gone to sleep (luckily this also suits my daughter
who for obvious reasons likes to home-school during day
light hours)
For you this might mean getting up at 5am getting all your
work done by lunchtime and spending your afternoon play-
ing golf However it looks for you take advantage of your
situation working from home by using your most productive
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2028
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 20ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2128
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 21ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2228
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 22ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2328
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 23ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2428
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2528
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 25ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2028
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 20ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
hours for work and the rest for play Lifersquos too short to slog it
out through energy slumps
I literally schedule every part of my day into my calendar
Even sleep Once something is scheduled into my calendar
no lower priority activity can touch a block of time Irsquove put
aside for higher priority activities I set alarms and re-
minders that go off throughout the day to remind me when
certain activities should start and end and even when to
eat
ldquoI literally schedule every part of my day intomy calendar Even sleeprdquo
You can be as detailed (or not) as you like itrsquos just a matter
of finding what you need to drag yourself into your most
productive state
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2128
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 21ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2228
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 22ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2328
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 23ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2428
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2528
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 25ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2128
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 21ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
6 Beware domestic dutiesThis isnrsquot a very sexy tip but itrsquos one of my most important
pieces of advice When you work in an office you only have
to worry about the cleanliness of your desk When you work
from home the dishes vacuuming dusting cleaning mop-
ping and laundry will distract you And thatrsquos not to mention
the endless list of errands you need to run and bills that you
need to pay
Here are some strategies Irsquove used that might work for you
too
First I (you guessed it) schedule my domestic duties I
make them part of my daily routine so that when it
comes time to work I can focus on the task at hand and
Irsquom not tempted to do the dishes when I pop into the
kitchen to make a cup of tea
Second Irsquove outsourced and automated what I can I
have a cleaner who comes in for a few hours a week to
take some of the load off Depending on where you live
this may not be an aff ordable option but then again how
much work could you get done and how much extra in-
come would that generate if you owned the hours yoursquod
normally spend cleaning Something to think about
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2228
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 22ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2328
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 23ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2428
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2528
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 25ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2228
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 22ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Third Irsquove set up automatic bill payments so I donrsquot
waste energy and time paying bills
Your home is full of distraction and personal aff airs sit atop
the list Unless you have a plan for taking care of your do-
mestic duties either your home life or your work will suff er
(probably both) Scheduling domestic duties into your rou-
tine will ensure you can take care of everything yoursquore re-
sponsible for
7 Get out of the houseWorking from home can be the greatest freedom or the dark-est prison I remember not long after I first started working
from home spending 3 full days inside my own house with-
out a single breath of fresh outside air or a natural ray of
sunlight because I was working to a deadline I finished the
work but by the end I felt terrible
When yoursquore loaded up with work have deadlines loomingand yoursquore working a lot of hours the advantages of working
from home can work against you Take commuting for exam-
ple When you work form home you avoid having to com-
mute to work which saves you time money and an
unpleasant trainbuscarboat ride
On the other hand that commute can help you get your
head into work mode force you to get some sun and fresh
air and allow you to interact with people without having to
make an eff ort or make the decision to do those things
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2328
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 23ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2428
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2528
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 25ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2328
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 23ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Try and get out of the house a few times a day for a break
and some fresh air Having hobbies or interests can make
this easier I keep a vegetable patch that I need to water
everyday to keep healthy I keep chickens and collect their
eggs from around the yard everyday I also happen to love
good coff ee so (when Irsquom back in Australia) Irsquoll pop out to a
local cafe for coff ee and sometimes work from their Wi-Fi
for a change of scenery
8 Stay healthy You can try all the tips and tricks for productivity in the
world but at the end of the day nothing can overcome an
unhealthy lifestyle What you eat feeds your brain and has
a direct impact on your concentration focus creativity
thought processes and problem solving ability
When you exercise you activate information processing
and memory functions in your brain that help you to focus
and be productive A poor diet and no exercise needless tosay has the opposite eff ects
Living a healthy lifestyle doesnrsquot have to be difficult but
when you work from home self-discipline is key A lot of
people I know who work in an office complain about the
endless cycle of morning and afternoon teas and how they
get in the way of eating healthily throughout the day If you
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2428
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2528
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 25ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2428
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 24ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
think it will be easier
when you work form
home yoursquore wrong
Imagine an entire pantry
full of delicious food and
no one around to judge
you Before you know it
yoursquoll be throwing down
large plates of pasta eat-
ing chips and sweets for
snacks and hitting your afternoon beverage an hour or two
earlier than usual
Try these tips for eating better when working from home
Keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your fridge
and pantry Make them easier to access than carbohy-
drate heavy snacks like corn chips ramen noodles and
frozen dim-sims
Use regular breaks from work to graze Donrsquot let yourself
become hungry and yoursquoll avoid binge eating
Eat a balance of macro-nutrients (macros) at every meal
Macros are your three major nutrient types protein car-
bohydrate and fats By consuming meals that consist of
balanced macros your body keeps the hormones that
influence your metabolism in good balance Get your
protein from lean meat and poultry your carbohydrates
from non-starchy vegetables fruits and legumes and
healthy fats from the likes of fish nuts avocado and
olive oil
bull
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2528
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 25ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2528
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 25ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
Use an app like Myfitnesspalcom to track your food in-
take What gets measured gets managed so keeping a
journal of your food should help to keep your eating in-
check
Consider a daily multi-vitamin and daily consumption of fish oil capsules which aid brain function
When it comes to exercise all you need is around 20 min-
utes a day to get the juices flowing If you have time for two
20 minute sessions or 45 minutes in the gym great but donrsquot
spend more than an hour working out mdash your eff orts are
wasted after that
Irsquom ending this article with this tip because itrsquos super impor-
tant and I didnrsquot want it to get lost in the middle Living a
healthy lifestyle is the number one best thing you can do for
your productivity not to mention your general well-being
Working from home can be a treat if you do it right You can
save time and money on your morning and afternoon com-
mute avoid the distraction of coworkers and unnecessary
meetings and have complete control over how you run your
day
Done the wrong way the distractions of work will be re-
placed with even worse distractions at home and yoursquoll find
yourself procrastinating on the couch instead of being pro-
ductive
bull
bull
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
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Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2628
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 26ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
I hope the advice in this post helps you to be more produc-
tive while working from home If yoursquod like to learn more I
go into more depth on some of these tips in my conversation
with Paul Minors on The Productivity Podcast
Paul Minorsrsquo The Productivity Podcast will help you to be-
come a Jedi Master of productivity Paul interviews leading
high performers to explore the secrets behind being ultra
productive super motivated how to manage your time bet-
ter how to set and achieve your goals and more
mdash
Thank you for taking the time to read my article which orig-inally appeared on ryanjrwigginscom If you liked it please
share the love by pressing the recommend button so others
can enjoy it too Thanks
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2728
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
Page 27ttpsmediumcomremotive-collectionhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-504a1bdd07c8
What to Read Next My 4 step guide to cuttingyour email traffic in half
How I Became The Masterof My Inbox
by Ryan Wiggins
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
7232019 How to Become More Motivated Creative amp Productive Than Ever Before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullhow-to-become-more-motivated-creative-productive-than-ever-before-remotive 2828
2015-11-15 49830980ow to become more motivated creative amp productive than ever before mdash Remotive Collection mdash Medium
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