Currently, much of the world is on some form of lockdown or quarantine as a result of the COVID-19 virus.

That means a lot of people who aren’t used to working from home are now trying to adapt to telecommuting.

Not everyone is cut out to work from home and, if you’re new to this, you might find it harder than you thought it would be.

It can be very isolating and distracting.

However, even if you’re used to working from home, you might find yourself burdened with some new challenges due to the COVID-19 quarantine. Maybe your spouse also works from home now, which means you have to make space for them as well. Maybe your kids are home from school as well, and you have the extra tasks of homeschooling and tending to their needs.

In other words, your routines and focus are going to be seriously tested during this time.

Whether you’ve been running a business from your home office for some time or are new to working from home, here are some simple hacks that will make you more productive while you work from home…

Start your day with exercise

Regular exercise will not only help you keep off the dreaded “COVID 15” and maintain a healthy lifestyle, it will help you work.

Starting the day with exercise will get your mind and body in an energized state, and improve your focus and productivity.

If you are unable to leave your house to exercise before work, you can build a pretty effective home gym with just some free weights and other light equipment. You don’t necessarily need a whole lot of space.

If you miss your personal trainer or HIIT classes, you will find that many gyms that have been forced to close their doors during the Coronavirus quarantine are offering free online training to keep their clients active during shutdown. There are also lots of free exercise videos on YouTube you can try out.

Drown out background noise with instrumental music

Chances are, you don’t live alone. And, if you are quarantined, you might have to do something about blocking out loud sounds.

Most people like working with music playing in the background, but did you know that music with lyrics can actually be distracting and lessen your productivity?

According to the University of Phoenix, listening to music with lyrics can be distracting while you read, study, and write. The study found that your brain can struggle to process musical lyrics while you work. Doing these two actions at once is considered multi-tasking and research has found that multitasking can decrease your IQ by ten points.

While everyone is bound to have a different preference, consider listening to classical, jazz, or instrumental music while you work. If classical music isn’t your thing, consider listening to instrumental movie soundtracks or even video game music scores as alternatives.

Dress for work

When you ask anyone what the appeal of working from home is, the first thing that often pops into mind is being able to wear comfortable clothes to work.

While not having to dress up for work sounds pretty dreamy, you might want to refrain from staying in your pyjamas all day.

Changing your clothes puts you in a work mindset. You might feel less motivated if you’re wearing the same thing you wore falling asleep on the couch watching Netflix with your cat.

Also, if you have to jump onto a video conference call, you want to make sure you are at least presentable to your clients and colleagues.

So, while you don’t have to be dressed in business chic all the time, do make an effort to “get ready” for work, as it will affect your mindset and performance.

Schedule time with your family

This sounds counter-intuitive at first, but if you share a home with your family, scheduling time with them will help you be more productive when you are scheduled to work.

Multi-tasking is a recipe for imminent disaster. So, instead of trying to be “at work” and available for your family at the same time, pick one role to fulfill at any given time.

When you are at work, be at work. When you are with your family, only be with your family. This is easier said than done, of course (especially if you have very young children who rely heavily on you) but try to uphold this law as best as you can.

Have a designated workspace and set specific times of the day that are to be dedicated to work and nothing else. Train those you live with that these times and this work space is off limits.

Then, when your “work shift” is over, be all in when you tend to your family.

Depending on your situation, you might have to schedule several “mini-shifts” and alternate between work and family time several times throughout the day.

Ideally, your family will learn to relax their demands, knowing that you will be available to them after you have completed your work shift. And, while you are working, you will know that you have systems are in place so that your family are taken care of.

Working from home can be a challenge, especially during the COVID-19 quarantine. Try to start each day with exercise to get in an energized state that will help you be more focused and productive when you work. Drown out background noise with music – instrumental music is scientifically proven to be best for when you work. Resist the urge to stay in your pyjamas all day and get dressed for work so you maintain a motivated mindset. And finally, block off time with your family and try your best not to mix work and family duties.