Life as we knew it changed completely in 2020. That year decided to usher in a global crisis that would lead to millions of mini-crises in our homes as we realized that change was irremediable. But just as it brought something bad, something good also came; the opportunity to find that work could be done from anywhere. Our house became more than just a home, but an office, a restaurant, a movie theater, etc. We began to realize the possibilities that we could do in our own space and so it was that now, despite having the freedom to go out, many of us decided to continue working from home. Of course, with this comes other complications and one of them - the strongest - is how difficult it is to concentrate at home.
There are some people who have no problem working from home, and there are even some lucky ones who do better in that space alone than anywhere else. But if you are like me, the bed at home usually calls you to take a few breaks and thus, avoid a breakthrough. You also have to keep in mind that offices have their purpose, and that's just to keep distractions from ordinary life (like your dogs needing a walk, your neighbors yelling, family members listening to music or talking, etc.) out of the work space. But one of the biggest causes of difficulty with focusing at home is the absence of the boundary between what is your living space and your work space. When you lose the separation of work hours from relaxation hours, focusing on your day-to-day life becomes increasingly difficult. But what do I do if I can't be going out to coffee shops every day and I don't have a designated work space? The key is to act just as you would if you were in an office.
Create a schedule
Create a schedule in which you will dedicate yourself to work and nothing else, so that when closing time comes, work is officially over. Those boundaries will help your body understand that it should be active during those hours and after that, it can relax. In theory, the ideal is not to work for eight hours at a stretch as we usually do; but to work actively for 5 hours taking only one break. Your brain will be much more focused during that period of time than if the hours are extended and fatigue increases.
Dress for the occasion
Another aspect that is very useful for concentration, but that we don't take into account most of the time, is clothing. At the beginning of the pandemic we were happy to be able to work from bed in our pajamas, but psychologically, dressing for an occasion even if you don't have one, helps a person to be much more prepared for the day. If we don't tell our body the difference between bed and work, it won't be active when we need it to be. So in the morning, after breakfast, take a bath and choose your favorite clothes to feel good about yourself so you can focus better.
Set your goals for the day
Finally, set goals for yourself. If we set goals for the day, work will feel lighter and allow you to focus better on what you have to do. Preferably choose those activities that have the highest priority so that the pressure decreases and everything gets done in a timely manner. At the end of the day you will feel some satisfaction that you finished what you had to do and you will be better rested for the next day. Just like everything else in life, focusing at home is something to practice until you reach a level where you feel comfortable.
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