Staying focused and maintaining a high level of productivity when teleworking isn't always easy.
Faced with a list of things that accumulate day after day, the important thing is to plan your day and week in advance. A simple and effective solution is the "to-do list" with the allocation of time and corresponding tasks in your agenda.
In this way, you will work on one thing at a time and will be able also to prioritize.
To be productive, you can try the Pomodoro Technique, which gets its name from the timer used while cooking that often looks like a tomato.
What is this technique about? Work 25 minutes on a specific task and then take a 5 minute break. Repeat this mode 4 times (25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of rest), then take a longer break of 20 minutes away from the computer. If you have a dog, go for a walk, or water the plants, eat some fruit, do some stretching.
To avoid distractions and focusing problems, do not turn on the TV, do not work on the bed and put your personal phone in the "do not disturb" mode so as not to be interrupted.
Don't forget to set limits. Once the day is over, don't work overtime and truly disconnect! The ideal would be to have a dedicated workspace, so that you can "leave the office" once you are finished with your work.
Some tips to optimize your workspace.
As regards your workspace at home, do not underestimate the positive effect of comfort on your productivity and concentration.
Invest in the purchase of a comfortable chair and a foot rest to maintain a good posture. And if you really want to do yourself some good, also buy (or buy only) a standing desk.
Good lighting is important so as not to strain your eyes and it will help you stay focused. Try a light bulb that diffuses blue light, for example.
In addition to being comfortable, your workspace at home should reflect your personality with some decorative objects that help you stay inspired during the day and make you want to spend time in it.
Organize your office and arrange your things according to the frequency of use. Keep the things you need frequently on hand. Sort out the things you need least in an easy way so not to waste your time while looking for them.
Finally, remember that physical exercise is essential for your well-being and after a day of work it would be good to dedicate some time to your body to relax and start the evening well.
What do you think about these tips?
During heatwaves like the one we are going through, being in fresh areas, not going out during the central hours of the day and drinking lot of water (not iced water) is surely recommended. However, there are practices that are bad ideas, wrong beliefs and that you should avoid.
Photo by Massimiliano Martini on Unsplash
I do not feel hungry so I do not eat. During periods of strong heat, it is recommended to eat foods with a high water content, such as strawberries (in Belgium we still have them and they are very good!), cucumbers, watermelon, melon, salad, courgettes, tomatoes and peppers. Everything that the summer season offers us. Nature always provide us with the best solution for every period of the year. You can also eat sorbets, yoghurt and white cheese. What you must avoid are fatty meals, because the digestion of fats involves an effort of the body that increases body temperature and consequently the perceived heat.
Using the air conditioning at its maximum power. Using air conditioning is recommended but the temperature must be adjusted to a maximum of 10 degrees C lower than the outside one. Of course, if the outside temperature is 40 degrees C, 30 will be still a high temperature. However, a big gap between the outside and the insider temperatures weakens the body. And don’t forget to clean the filters.
Drinking very hot drinks. A legend tells that people living in the desert use to drink very hot teas to fight the heat. However, this is not necessarily a good idea, actually it is what it is: a legend. The body temperature is around 37 degrees. Consuming a hotter drink would mean forcing the body to sweat and therefore going forward dehydration to eliminate the accumulated heats. Ideally, you should drink liquids between 12 and 14 degrees C.
While sleeping, directing the fan to your face. A person who directs the fan towards the face in the morning will have dry nose, mouth and eyes. This is likely to give you a headache but you will definitely have a stuffy nose. It is recommended to put the fan a little further away from the bed and not to direct it to your face.
Drink at least three litres of water a day. Actually, drinking a quantity of water between one and a half and two litres is more than enough. In case of over consumption the body will be forced to eject more through sweating or peeing, in this latter case overloading the kidneys.
Nothing better than a beer to stay hydrated. Actually, alcohol dehydrates. If you drink a glass of beer, you must then drink water to compensate for the loss of water. Coffee and tea are also drinks that you do not want to drink too often for the same reason. Obviously, all carbonated and sugar-containing drinks are absolutely to be avoided.
I wait for being thirsty before drinking. When you feel thirsty, it is already late. Your body is warning you that you have lost water. Experts recommend drinking small amounts of water often rather than a lot of water in a few moments of the day. It is important to keep the body hydrated throughout the day to avoid headaches, dizziness or feelings of fatigue.
1980, Quebec City. People rush to meet three exhausted travellers, who have just walked 90 kilometres in 22 hours…on stilts!
They had left for this trip to be noticed and raise funds. Their goal was setting up their own circus company, but not just like the others.
At the time, circus companies still followed the main rules established at the beginning of the twentieth century by the showman Phineas Barnum. A show was to include trained animals, stellar acrobats, clowns for children.
In the 1980s, hundreds of circus companies competed fiercely to attract an increasingly rare audience. Yes, things have changed: the circus is no longer popular compared to the cinema or the television.
Result: circuses earn less and less money.
Our young waders say it is time to reinvent the circus, thus changing the business model.
Photo by Alejandro Contreras on Unsplash
Thanks to their genius, the three friends got their first funding and launched their project: the Cirque du Soleil.
Pets and animals? That’s enough! We don’t want to see them in cages any more, and it costs too much to keep them healthy. The stellar acrobats? Okay, long live to young talents, unknown and motivated. Clowns? We keep the principle but let them do things that make adults laugh too. The sand track and the badly heated tent? Never again, the Cirque du Soleil offers comfortable space and beautiful decorations.
And it works! The new model finds their audience and it is known all over the world. Some of the founding waders even become billionaires.
Now, however, with the Covid-19 crisis, the management of Cirque du Soleil has filed for bankruptcy protection at the end of June. With bankruptcy, Cirque du Soleil aims to restructure its debt with assistance from the Canadian government and private equity firms, to be able to return enchanting their millions of fans around the world with their acrobatic shows.
Crisbie Coach 