What Pandemic Productivity REALLY Looks Like

I think I speak for just about everyone when I say that we have never had so much time at home. I'm the type of person who needs to keep busy to feel like I'm getting things done, so being stuck in lockdown has often left me struggling to find motivation.

Going on social media to find that all of a sudden everyone is doing home workouts and learning new skills certainly adds to this feeling of unproductivity. It feels like there's a pressure to 'gain' something from lockdown.

But what is 'productivity'? It would typically be defined as 'getting things done' and gaining a feeling of accomplishment from doing so. Surely then, feeling accomplished after completing even the smallest of tasks is just as validly productive as the bigger things.

With this idealised image of productivity in lockdown looking like making big changes, it's important to remember that this is not necessarily realistic. Such achievements may have happened during these unprecedented times for some, and that's great, but let's not forget that the smaller things count too.

Here's what REAL productivity during a global pandemic looks like.

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Getting out of bed

Getting out of bed is your very first opportunity in the day to be productive. After all, how can you do anything else if you haven't already tackled the task of getting yourself up? And that's the beauty of it, you're already in the habit of doing this every single day.

Making your bed when you get up can kick-start your motivation for the rest of the day. Seeing your sleeping space neat and tidy brings calmness because it's something you can have control over during a time when many other things can't be controlled. Your bed should be your place of relaxation and unwinding, so help yourself out and make it welcoming for when you return to it at the end of the day.

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Making an achievable to-do list

When I say achievable, I mean what you can actually get done and not what you wish was achievable for one day.

Make a list of everything you plan to do that day and not anything more, just what you can tick off in the space of one day. Start with the small things because they'll be easily achievable and quicker to tick off, giving you motivation to carry on with the tasks that may take a little more effort.

Listing everything can be really helpful, from making your bed to going for an afternoon walk - you might just find that this gives you structure to your day where the pandemic may have otherwise taken it away.

The best part is then being able to look back at the end of the day and see how much you achieved! Try making a list and I'm sure you'll be surprised to see just how much you actually get done.

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Moving your body

Don't panic! I'm not suggesting you have to be doing extensive exercise, but simply moving your body will make you feel SO much better.

Go for a walk, do a home workout, or just stand up from your desk and do some stretches. Do whatever suits you best because getting your body moving will keep your mind awake and stimulated.

Exercise can be such a good distraction if other things are causing you stress. It gives you something to focus on, something to do as a break, and something that will clear your head from everything else going on.

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Making time for 'me time'

Never feel guilty about spending some time doing what makes you happy, whether it's binging your favourite TV series or indulging in a takeaway.

It's a difficult and unprecedented time that we're living in and everyone is having to adjust, so there's no doubt that you might feel disrupted. What better way to be productive than spending some time to raise your spirits?

Taking care of your mental and physical wellbeing is very important at the moment because there's a lot happening in the world that is uncertain. Dedicating a bit of 'me time' regularly will keep you feeling content, happy, and healthy, and in turn this will keep your motivation and energy levels up to tackle the things on your to do list!

It might feel like doing what you enjoy comes at the bottom of the list of priority, but how can you expect to get anything else done if you aren't in the right headspace to do it? 'Me time' is a pretty fundamental part of keeping productive.

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Eating!

That's right, you can be productive by eating.

I know it can feel like time is slipping away when you have a million things to get done, but don't ignore your basic human needs. You quite literally need to fulfil these in order to keep going, so don't forget to do it!

Diet cultures seem to have intensified over the course of the pandemic, and sometimes it can be truly toxic. Listen to your body, fuel it when it asks, and do it without guilt because your body is there to keep you alive.

Stop thinking of your lunch break as a disruption to your busy schedule and start appreciating it as an essential down-time.

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It can be hard to feel like you're achieving much when your day-to-day routine is repetitive and mundane during lockdown, but start by giving yourself credit for the small stuff because those are the things that really matter.