My Office Nook and Tips for Increasing Productivity at Home

January 21, 2021 in Faith, Home

Happy Monday! Does anyone else feel like January is always 85 days long? Every other month of the year usually seems to fly by, but January seems to always just poke along. Honestly, I tend to struggle a bit each January. The holidays are over, the days are frequently cold, dreary, and dark, and my motivation tends to take a dip despite the “fresh slate” of a new year (this is only my second blog post of the month… case in point). To encourage and motivate myself as much as hopefully a few of you, I am going to share my office nook and tips for increasing productivity at home.

I’ve also had some requests for more home decor and interior posts, and sharing my office nook felt like a good place to start. I’ve shared bits and pieces on Insta before and there always seemed to be some interest in the “nook” aspect of things. Basically, we turned a little corner of our formal sitting room into my office space. I needed somewhere to coral my tech stuff, paper goods, blog folders, etc. and a spot to work on my computer that wasn’t the couch… I’m nowhere near as productive there (more on that in a minute). Back in April or May (that whole time period kind of ran together for me haha), Luke found this darling desk for sale on the Nextdoor app for fifteen dollars. FIFTEEN DOLLARS, y’all!!! We couldn’t believe it. I fell in love with the style and the wood coloring (it goes so well with my China cabinet and the buffet that’s already in the room), so Luke masked up and drove to the neighborhood across the street to bring her home. The dimensions were spot on and we tucked it perfectly into the corner of the room. Luke built me a small corner shelf out of spare wood from an old project, hung a chandelier, and I added a few art pieces to the wall.

This little office nook space is hidden and not hidden at the same time which makes it somewhat private and I love that. This room is right across from Bodie’s playroom (which originally was the formal dining room, but you know… priorities haha so that had to go), so I can keep an eye on him while he’s playing, but still get things done behind my “half-wall.” It’s also right by some of our front windows which allows for nice, natural light to filter in.

Speaking of getting things done, let’s shift to tips for increasing productivity at home. 2020 had lots of changes for lots of people. Many began unexpectedly working remotely and trying to navigate maintaining a normal job that now seemed to allow for the flexibility to stay in lounge clothes all day long if desired. While I was already staying at home with Bodie before the pandemic hit, we weren’t always at home as much as we were in 2020. Lunches with friends went away, we stopped running casual errands for the most part, and we were just home a lot more in general. In the midst of all the 2020 chaos, my blog started taking off a bit more and for that I am extremely grateful and am still excited about. That also meant/means, I had to seriously revamp my thought process and find ways to be more productive. Preaching to the choir here, but these are a few of my tricks and tips for increasing productivity at home:

1. Change out of Pajamas/Robe:

I honestly struggle with this one the most myself. If I don’t have to leave the house in the morning, I will wear my robe until lunch or later. As silly as it may seem, just changing from pajamas into lounge clothes or leggings and a t-shirt if nothing else, mentally prepares me to be more productive. Some days, I’ll do the “full shebang” and do hair, makeup, and a cute outfit when my list for the day is really long or I just need a personal boost. However, even changing into a matching lounge set, putting on earrings, and brushing my hair goes a long way.

2. Make Lists: Weekly and Daily:

I am a list maker through and through. Always have been and predict I always will be. I make lists on my phone, as well as on paper (my personal favorite). Not only to lists serve as reminders for all the things I need to get done, they allow me to feel motivated and accomplished when I’m able to mark through a task and check it off as complete. I make lists for each day and also each week. This helps me see the immediate and bigger picture. I also categorize my lists (ie: blog lists, home lists, etc.). Get yourself a planner and good notebook for your lists and it will change things for you! I’m currently using this planner in the linen color and loving it because it has a monthly and daily view. I also use this undated to-do planner for making my lists. This is also a great “to-do pad” (I’ve used for many years) to keep on your counter or at your desk!

3. Prioritize Daily Tasks/To-Dos:

Piggybacking off of the above tip, when you make your lists, try and write them out based on priority level. Not every single thing is going to get done every single day and THAT IS OKAY! By prioritizing tasks, you allow yourself to accomplish what is more critical and allowing for less stress when something can’t be checked off.

PS: I truly believe that flexibility is critical and giving yourself grace is necessary. We are humans and life can be nuts and things don’t always get done on schedule. I am personally trying to live that out myself this week. I really injured my back on Monday and have not been able to accomplish hardly anything I had planned (including finishing photographing this entire space for y’all to see). That being said, depending on your career and line of work, there are definitely times when all nighters must be pulled and sleep must be lost to accomplish things and meet deadlines (go have a chat with my husband… bless him), but when you can give yourself a little grace and flexibility, remember that it is okay to do so and sometimes necessary for your well being.

4. Sit at a Desk/Table

I just don’t do as well when I try and work from the couch or in the bed. That’s not to say I don’t ever do that, but if I really need to get computer work type of things done, I really need to be sitting in a chair at a desk or table. Something about that allows for a mental shift. On the couch, I just get super cozy and find myself having the tv on in the background and then becoming distracted with whatever beautiful house project is gracing HGTV at the moment.

5. Don’t Squander Nap Time:

If you’re a mama, you know how precious nap time is. I try and not do things during Bodie’s nap that I can do while he’s awake. I use this time for the things that require more of me and less flexibility. Currently, with being pregnant, I often need to nap during this time, but I can’t do that when Bodie is awake so I don’t feel bad about it in the least. Luke is still mostly working from home, so often times I’ll run a few errands during nap time that I wouldn’t usually take Bodie along for. This will look different for everyone and changes on the regular, but basically, anything that’s difficult to do when your child is awake, nap time is the time to try and get it done!

While I’m not perfect at any of these, I have found that implementing the above tips does seem to help me accomplish more and increase my productivity level. Furthermore, and most importantly, spending time with Jesus and having a quiet time in the mornings really seems to set me up for the most success. I’m definitely not perfect at this either, but when I have a quiet time with the Lord in the morning, my whole mindset seems to shift and I’m much more prepared to take on the day. I have a blog post on some of my favorite devotionals if you’re in need of a great way to jumpstart your day as well. Find that post here: My Favorite Daily Devotionals.