Are you struggling to stay productive while studying or working from home? UofA grads have got your back!
We got in touch with some of our grads, working in a range of disciplies all over the world.
The Career Servies found out how they've been staying focused while working from home and they shared some of their top tips on productivity with us below....
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Remove distractions! Put away any objects that could distract you, and close non-work-related programs. Also keeping a log or schedule of what work you have to do is more helpful than ever at keeping you on track.
Alex - Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical & Aerospace) (Honours), 2017
Aerospace Engineer at Inovor Technologies, Adelaide
Set up your desk properly – don’t work from your bed, or somewhere you can’t comfortably work! Remember to get up and move throughout the day, even a walk around the block at lunchtime does wonders. Have set snacks at your working area to avoid that trip to the pantry every hour, and if possible, work hours that work for you. I start and finish earlier, which means I can fit in a workout at the end of the day before it gets too late (and it helps me to destress from the working day).
Tayla - Bachelor of Media (Marketing), 2017
Direct Marketing Coordinator at RAA, Adelaide
I have found that if you are working from home it’s worth taking the time to create a dedicated space in your house, which can function as your workspace - and then any time you’re not in the workspace is time that you’re not working. It’s really easy to blur the lines between work and play when you’re working from home, so the more that you can separate the two, the better.
Instead of sitting on the couch watching Tiger King while you fire off emails, set yourself up at the desk or the dining room table and keep Netflix and work separate. I’ve found this a helpful way to stay focused but also it lets me switch off properly when my work day ends. I also continue to dress for work, which helps keep a bit more normalcy in this crazy time!
Liberty – Bachelor of Arts & Bachelor of Media, 2017
Communications Manager at Callie Rose Communications, Adelaide
My top tip for staying productive while working from home is to work in intervals. Let's be honest, working from home is different to working from an office or a university as there are lots of distractions at home - For me personally, it is my fridge and pantry! To combat this, I like to work in 2 hour intervals, with a 15 minute break (usually to snack or check Instagram) between each 2 hour working block.
Luisa - Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Civil and Architectural), 2017
Project Manager, Wheaton Enterprises Pty Ltd & Creative Director of STEM at HOME
Having a discipline and routine. Also, scale down your productivity goals. It is a moment of crisis and it is important to prioritise your well-being, mental health and physical health.
Ankur - PhD. in Dentistry, 2017
My top tip for staying productive whilst working from home is to set structured routines for your day. Without the need to commute to work, you can spend your morning routine writing down your to-do list at a more relaxed pace. It's also important to schedule in breaks during your daily routine, as it can allow your brain to feel more refreshed afterwards, leading to improved concentration.
Stephen - Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours), 2017
HR Graduate Officer, Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, Adelaide
Set yourself a daily routine and try to stick to it as much as possible. See if you can make it fairly similar to your typical workday. For example, if you would usually walk to the bus and catch that to work, then ‘get ready for work’ in the morning, and go for a short walk outside before sitting down at your home desk to start the day. Incorporate multiple short breaks throughout your day as well, and make sure you have a dedicated finish time.
Lisa-Marie - Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours), 2018
Consultant/Provisional Psychologist, Industrial & Organisational Psychology (I&OP), BDO Adelaide
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Stick to the pre-lockdown goals and make sure you hit your own target. Don’t use others’ delay as your excuses to not fulfil your part of the work; whilst waiting for others to get back to you, use the time to plan for the next steps or review the work you have done in the past.
Ray - PhD. in Structural Engineering, 2017
Project Operations Manager at Risland Australia, Sydney
I use time blocking which is really effective – I mark out times on my calendar to work on certain tasks for an hour or two. It limits me being distracted with other work emails and working on multiple tasks at once.
Sorcha - Bachelor of Arts (Advanced) (Anthropology and Gender Studies and Social Analysis)
Fundraising and Communications Coordinator at Youth Opportunities
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My top tip would be to still break up your day like you would if you were at work. Many people can get stuck into the routine of just sitting down and getting their work done and not taking any breaks throughout the day. I think you need time to stretch your legs and refresh yourself a few times a day. Sometimes this can bring new ideas, a second wave of energy and it is also good for your health to go for a walk or run outside. Taking a short morning and afternoon break and a proper lunch break keeps me productive.
Desiree - Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry and Microbiology), 2017
Technical Officer in the Sensory Science Department at The Australian Wine Research Institute, Adelaide
Give yourself some space, remember that you can work anytime at home, so you don’t have to stick with normal working hours, if it works for you you can also work at night or early in the morning. Make a list of what you have to complete and work away at it.
Make sure you are comfortable, set up an office space in the house and decorate it with books and photos, fill your drawer with office supplies. Drink lots of water, practice self care (you could apply a face mask while working on the computer!), do some exercise and practice cooking.
Sokunthea - Master of Health Economics and Policy, 2017
Health Economist at the National Institute of Public Health, Cambodia
I recently watched a great Youtube video (called Lockdown Productivity: Spaceship You) that sets out how to stay productive while working from home. The main message was that both your physical and your mental systems must be topped up in order to maintain productivity. Managing your physical needs through exercise is always the first step, and once those needs are charged, that leaves more room for dealing with the less-straightforward-to-handle mental needs.
Mental needs can be assisted by keeping your spaces for different essential activities as separate as possible. For instance, keep your ‘chill/entertainment space’ separate from your ‘work space’, which in turn should be kept separate from your ‘sleeping space’ and your ‘exercise space’. Maintaining some separation among those activities keeps the day varied and allows you to develop healthy behaviours, rather than downward spirals that see you snoozing all day in bed, binge-watching tv and eating snacks.
Jamie - Bachelor of Laws (Honours) & Bachelor of International Studies, 2017
Agribusiness Advisory Intern at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), London
SO! Hang in there and reach out to Careers if you're needing a Career Motivation Plan or the amazing Wellbeing team in Counselling if you would like more motivation support.
