Staying productive while working from home

I'm surprised to say it, but working from home is actually working for me.

In pre-COVID times, I loved going in to my office every day. My morning routine, reading on the bus, the separation of work and home, the office snacks.

And now, what feels like 457 days later...I’m adjusting pretty well. This new normal means mid-day walks, spending way less on coffee, and never forgetting to bring my workout clothes with me in the morning for an after-work spin class.

There have certainly been some bumps along the way. Here's what has helped me these past few months:

1. A (big) water bottle: A week into working from home, I realized I wasn't drinking nearly as much water as I normally drink at the office. I keep a 25 oz Swell bottle at my office, but when our office shut down, I didn't think to bring it home. Target saved the day with this basic (and cheap!) Nalgene. It's almost embarrassingly huge, but it means I'm not constantly getting up to refill it.

2. "Work with me" videos: I need outer accountability to get stuff done, and I was having a hard time finding it while sitting at the desk in my bedroom. A friend working on her PhD turned me on to "work with me" videos on YouTube -- people record themselves working or studying using the Pomodoro method, and honestly it's been a game changer in motivating me. I've worked along to this one more times than I can count.

3. Appointed notebooks: I love Evernote, but I'll choose a pen and paper over digital any day. I'm a longtime fan of Appointed, a DC-based company that makes, among other things, beautiful, simple notebooks. My go-to is their workbook size and am currently using this one in Dove Gray. These minimalist, well-made notebooks make me feel pulled together even when I'm still wearing sweatpants at my desk.