5 easy personal development hacks for working from home

Regardless if working from home is your dream come true or the biggest pain in the a.., IT IS HAPPENING. So what are you going to do about it? 

You’ve probably already read a ton of productivity advice like setting your work time, designating and constantly cleaning your work area, socialising etc etc. We're not here to talk about how to be more productive at work while working from home. Our goal is to show 5 simple hacks that can transform working from home experience and help become more productive, focused, motivated and most importantly - more content with this situation and life in general.

Let's hack this time to transform ourselves into the aswesomest selves possible! 

5 easy hacks to improve productivity, motivation and overall happiness:

1. Make mornings count

 A morning routine can literally make or break a productive day. How much time do you save from commuting and preparing for the real office versus home office? Use it wisely!

Spending 15 - 30 minutes to address emotional and mental wellbeing is a deal breaker. Not only it gives time and space to think and prepare for the day, it also helps to reboot, get rid of any negative emotions and settle into the right mindset. There are a number of practices to choose from. Mix and match what suits your personality: yoga, meditation, breathing, journaling, spending time in silence or not doing anything, reading, practicing gratitude.

My favourite: 15 minutes of abundance meditation followed by listing 3 things I feel grateful for and 3 things that make me uneasy. Spending 10 minutes reflecting on the listed things and pondering my feelings and reasons.

Oh and by the way, when you wake up and how much time you have is far less important than how you spend the time you do have. It is much more productive to make mornings easier instead of earlier. Especially now when for the first time in centuries we actually have more control over our own schedules. Not everybody is a morning person and working from home allows night owls to adjust their schedules to working later in the day. If you have to adjust anything, try adjusting your work schedule to suit your natural body rhythms. You might not have another opportunity like this and who knows, maybe this adjustment will last beyond the mandatory working from home.

2. Engage butt cheeks when walking or sitting

Admit it, you move much less over quarantine compared to “normal” life. And with much less natural moving-around we need to compensate for our bodies. The easiest way to do so is integrating these simple exercises into your life:

Number 1: engage the butt cheek of the back leg every time you walk. Even if it's just a desk-kitchen-restroom path. Once you get into a habit of doing so, you will do it everywhere you go. That’s a hustle-free, gym-free, sweat-free way to get your buttocks in shape!

Number 2: engage both butt cheeks when sitting. You can also try it with your abs. Get into a habit of simply pulling in and releasing different muscles throughout the day and you can postpone gym.

Number 3: give your eyes and brain a 3 minute break with 5 burpees or 0.5 - 1 minute planks! Repeat twice a day. Simply get up from your desk, do 5 burpees and go back to work. You won’t even break a sweat, but your energy levels will be totally different. And if you were stressed, that will be gone too.

I’m so used to these simple exercising hacks that I use them everywhere - when walking outside, driving, in the office and even at a dinner table! They’re just too easy not to practice them. 

3. Learn something new

Tai chi, yoga, meditation, boxing, painting and even sailing! Youtube is full of free classes for virtually anything you can imagine. Pick something new to try daily and "leave" your home office at 6-7PM SHARP! to "enter" a virtual classroom.

The benefits of lifelong learning are endless. From self-development and knowledge to happiness, fulfillment and stress control. Who knows, maybe your newly started hobby from YouTube will become your main source of income one day. Now is the best time to invest in long-forgotten dreams to learn something or start a hobby. 

4. Read 10 pages of a paper book

Not a book's person? We get it, start by reading 15 pages instead! 

Research indicates that reading literally increases brain power. Using MRI scans, researchers have confirmed that reading involves a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain. As your reading ability matures, those networks also get stronger and more sophisticated. Just like going for a jog exercises your cardiovascular system, reading regularly improves memory function by giving your brain a good workout.

Former American President Theodore Roosevelt read at least one book per day. The 26th president loved exploring various genres – from Dickensian fiction to Greek history – and was a firm believer that one’s reading preferences changed with time and mood.

Pick a genre you like and start with 10 pages a day that is again too easy to say no to when you weigh the benefits - reading elicits curiosity, encourages creativity, broadens horizons and even prevents early ageing! Now is the time to get into reading!

5. Improvise in the kitchen

Bet you're about to throw out at least some food from your fridge. Why not give it a second thought and get into a habit of making one meal a day from the leftovers you have?

It's easier than you think. Just throw everything together, add some spices, sauce and simmer for 10-15 minutes. You'll be surprised! Another good option is to cook pasta and turn leftovers into a sauce. Uniqueness and good mood are guaranteed.

This way you will reconnect with your food, explore your own creativity in the kitchen and over time massively improve eating habits not to mention the money saved and food not wasted. 

I bet these simple hacks will change your mood, motivation and productivity! Try them for a week or two and see how you feeling!

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