By Mandy L. Manley, Professional Organizer and Owner of Skeleton Key Organizing
Because of recent health concerns, people are spending more time at home than ever. We’re doing all the household chores, caring for little ones and getting work done all from the same spaces every day. These are unprecedented times, but we know that they won’t last forever. How can you make the most of all this time at home?
1. Zone Your Home By Activity
One of the best things you can do for your mental health and productivity is to zone your home. Designate certain rooms or nooks for specific activities. Pick a place to conduct business, and make sure that’s all you do in that space. When you go to your home office, work there. Leave when you’re done working for the day and remember to take breaks away from your desk. Pick a spot for doing Fit3 Workouts with Trainer Tina. You should even have a spot for relaxing, reading and watching movies. By setting up these zones, you’re giving your brain a cue that it’s time to work, play, or relax. Plus, you’ll be less tempted to do dishes when you should be working if you stay out of the kitchen!
2. Decide What You Can Accomplish
Even when you’re working from home, there are still only 24 hours in a day. Make a list of what you’d like to achieve, and see how much of it you can fit into your week. Start with the items that will make the biggest impact on your business. Do you need training to get the best use of social media? Need to learn how to use Zoom to host a virtual shake party? Start with these items so you can begin to integrate them into your business immediately. Be sure to set some goals for yourself, so you know what you need to get done. Having structure like this in place will make or break your Reliv business, especially if you’re working toward earning the trip to Hawaii.
3. Block Your Time
Using a calendar, schedule appointments in 30-minute increments for all the goals you have set. Some of these will be appointments you make with other people as you make phone calls to share about Reliv and help your customers. Even if you’re getting work done on your own, go ahead and schedule it like you would an appointment. Include the details of each task in the “notes” section of your calendar invitation, and set a reminder for 10 minutes before you’ll start. This will help you switch tasks and mentally prepare for what’s next. Feel free to get fancy by adding some color-coding for types of tasks, and don’t forget to schedule breaks, meals, and relaxation.
Here’s an example of what your time-blocked calendar might look like:
When you take a thoughtful approach to working from home, you can get so much accomplished! By creating zones, setting goals and blocking off your time, you’re setting yourself up for greater success. Don’t let the day happen to you; be strategic and make your impact on the day! Let’s make the most of these days, and look back on how far we’ve come once this is behind us!
