Ever since the pandemic, working from home has become the norm. While many have returned to the office, not everyone is working there five days a week; most employees have some sort of combination of working from home and going into work a few days a week. Working from home most certainly has its perks but it also comes with many challenges.
Obstacle #1: Time Management Apps to solve it: Cozi and Focus Keeper
There are two problems that come with time management: keeping all of the different events and schedules (especially if you have a family with young children) straight, as well as making sure you spend quality uninterrupted time on a specific task. Cozi is similar to Google calendar, but it is helpful in the sense that it is a family calendar. There is a family password that is used in order to share a calendar with several people. No more getting playdates confused, or if you're single, deadlines for projects mixed up! Its simple to use, and free!
Focus Keeper helps you keep track of your time by helping you stay focused. It has a countdown timer based on the Pomodoro technique. The Pomodoro technique is a tool many procrastinators use to get those tasks done without waiting until the very last moment. Typically, you set a timer for 25 minutes to work on a task until the timer goes off, take a 5-minute break, and then repeat that time interval for 4 rounds or until that task is completed. Focus Keeper also allows you to see how much time in total you've spent on projects and offers a Pro version that also has background noises for you to work to.
Obstacle #2: Mental Health Apps to solve it: I Am and Insight Timer
Mental health can wane when you're constantly working from home, and not leaving the same four walls very often. Thats why taking care of your mental health is so crucial! I Am is an app that focuses on affirmations. The thoughts we think have a huge impact on our quality of life, our mental health, as well as how we show up in our work and in our family. You can either choose your own affirmations, or you can choose from some pre-written affirmations. Have your phone send you notifications with different reminders throughout the day to keep your head in the right space.
Insight Timer, on the other hand, is a great tool to use when it all gets a little overwhelming and you find yourself breathing shallow. It has a timer that guides you through breathing exercises, which instantly helps you destress and feel calmer. You can also choose to meditate, however simply breathing is also incredibly beneficial in terms of your productivity and well-being.
Something nobody really talks about, but that impacts your output so much, is sleep. How do you know if you're sleeping well? Simply use the Pillow app by laying it down next to you and your pillow, and it will give you data on how deep you sleep and if you're getting good quality sleep. Its incredibly useful, and you can even experiment to see if different night routines are efficient in giving you better sleep. Take melatonin or magnesium and watch your data - is it helping? Or consider incorporating yoga stretches right before your bedtime and see how your sleep is impacted.
Last but not least, the simple Reminder app is helpful to set. Have your phone send a reminder every hour that you move. Sitting all day is not helpful to you in terms of promoting your health, and for your own sanity. Simply moving for five minutes every hour can keep you from going stir crazy.
What are your favorite apps to use that have positively impacted your work-from-home life?
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