I don’t think any of us are strangers to working from home after 2020 has completely shaken up our working arrangements. Luckily I’m very much used to the WFH vibes. My desk and home office have to be a sanctuary. A space that only evokes productivity and focus. Of course, when it feels like we’ve spent the last 10 months staring at screens, it can be difficult to maintain that motivation. Especially with the lockdowns, unproductivity can seem like an evil curse, but we must be kind to ourselves! We are humans, not robots. We cannot criticise ourselves for being affected by this madness. This is unlike anything we have experienced as a planet.
Start with clean & tidy
There are small things that we can do to help ourselves out. Keeping your working space (whether in the dining room, your sofa side table or your childhood writing desk) clean and organised is an essential first step for helping keep you in that flow state. By keeping tidy, you only help yourself move forward when you feel ready to work.
Essential items
There are a few items on my desk that have really helped me stay productive through lockdowns and also make my working environment a place of calm and comfort. Positive WFH vibes are key.
First up is my wooden Laptop support from Etsy! This is so useful for helping my posture while I’m sat at my desk for hours on end. It also helps keep your laptop nice and cool if you’re editing or making it work hard. You can also tuck it away in your drawers when you’re done or just need more space! This was the Christmas gift I never knew I needed and now I can’t work without it!
Keep the senses ~stimulated~
Keeping my senses stimulated when I’ve got a long day is also really important for keeping me on the ball when 3 pm rolls around and slowly feel my attention span shortening. My Aroma Diffuser from Ellia partnered with my essential oils collection from Neal’s Yard and Bio-Organic keep me feeling revitalized and refreshed all day long whilst it’s calming aromas and mood lighting helps keep me calm and on track. The Ellia diffuser even has calming melody tracks that I sometimes play whilst I work. To keep my space charged with negative ions have my rock salt lamp from Pure Skin Lab. Salt Lamps have lots of health benefits by improving the air quality, boosting your mood and just creating an overall comforting ambience. Also, it looks beautiful when it glows.
When I’m editing creative content, I use Beats Solo Pro by Dre to ensure that I’m maintaining the best high sound quality through my videos but if I have a zoom meeting or something that doesn’t require me to zone out from the world entirely, Pixel buds are my go-to. Pre lockdown I never knew how essential wireless earbuds would be in my day-to-day work. I wear these for hours on end jumping between zoom calls. Unlike my AirPods (RIP) – they don’t fall out. It’s really important that my headphones are comfy and noise-cancelling to maximum ~focus~ also.
Write it down!
Another permanent desk feature is my Getting Stuff Done Diary from CGD, a lovely female-founded company who’s attention to detail is really what I need in a diary. Although I spend a lot of my time online, I still love writing daily to-dos down with pen and paper. Old school, I know. This diary makes me feel like I have my life in order and that I am more in control of my goals and just I know wtf is happening every day. These things all really help me keep on top of my stuff whilst avoiding burnout.
Overall, making sure your work environment is clean is the key to maximising your productivity. I find that if my desk is cluttered, so is my brain and I run endless circles around myself.
What essentials are keeping your WFH vibes in check this year? Keep your chin up and your desk tidy
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