Day Hacking

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about myself during this work-from-home quarantine, it’s that my ability to focus is something that very much relies on routine. Going into the office would reset my brain to Productivity mode . Coming home would change the setting to what I can only describe as Relax Yourself, Bro mode .

The problem is, every day, all day, I’m working from home—and my brain is telling me to take it easy.

Dividing the Day

Over the last month of working from home, I have found that in the mornings, I have less trouble falling into the trap of being unproductive. Maybe it’s because of the coffee, or because most of the house is sleeping, or because I’ve always been a morning person (okay, it’s definitely because of the coffee). Regardless, there’s no denying that I’m able to crush it in the mornings.

Looking at how I should be spending my time, about half of what I do is a solo effort, meaning it only requires me to get it done. Things like working on client proposals and email responses would fit into that category. The other half of what I do are things that require others: checking in with team members, having our weekly leadership team meetings and Huddles, talking to clients or other leaders, etc.

Given that I’m more productive in the mornings (which means I have more motivation and I’m less distracted), I’ve started moving things that require just me to the beginning of my day. Tasks like calls and check-ins work better in the afternoon. With this approach, I’m optimizing my responsibilities to the times of day when I happen to be able to perform them better.

In other words, things that require my brain, and my brain alone, should be done in the mornings. Jobs that require me and others should happen in the afternoons.

Key point: When working from home, figure out when and how you’re most productive. It might mean scheduling work to be done at various times, or changing up the length of meetings, or rearranging your work setting. The key is to optimize your time so that you’re as productive as you can be.