Hey everyone !

In this article I am going to be sharing with you, how you can spend your days of quarantine in the most productive way.

So while all of us are stuck at home, we are probably getting restless and not being as productive as we could be. In times like these, it is very important to utilize your time effectively and I am going to help you do just that.

So let’s get started.

1. What time do you wake up?

The ideal time for waking up can be anywhere between 5:30 am to 7 am.

But that being said, many of us have different schedules and are not really comfortable waking up that early. At least, I know, I’m not.

So I wake up at 9:00 am and go to bed at 2:00 am. Sounds a little unhealthy, but I have done my bit of research as well.

Having an undisturbed 7 to 8 hours of sleep should be your top priority. When you sleep and when you get up would be secondary. So these timings should be worked upon depending on your schedule.

As long as you have a fixed routine and are getting enough sleep, there should not be a problem.

I have been following this sleep cycle for quite sometime now, and I haven’t been more energetic when I wake the next morning.

I have also spoken about the 10 TIPS TO HAVE THE PERFECT MORNING in my earlier post.

Hence, it’s important to get a good night’s sleep and also have a fixed routine. You cannot be getting up at 5 am on one day and at 10 am the next. That hugely disturbs your body clock and you might feel bloated and also nauseous.

So set a routine and simply follow it.

2. Hydrate

I could not stress more on the importance of drinking water.

Now all of us know this, but are just too lazy to drink water. Most of us drink water only when we are actually thirsty or along with our meals.

But drinking water at regular intervals is SO SO important.

Water helps in maintaining our bodily fluids. These bodily fluids help in functions such as digestion, absorption, maintenance of body temperature, circulation, etc.

Now, I don’t want to bore you with a science lecture.

So take a shot of water every couple of hours to make sure that you are healthy and hydrated.

3. Take a Shower

If you are someone who gets up and gets to work directly, you might want to think again. Freshening up when you get up is very important.

Showering removes the bacteria from your skin and protects the body from infection.

However, there has always been a divide between the dermatologists on how often one needs to shower. Some say that showering everyday dries out your skin and removes essential body oils.

As per my research, you should shower everyday but be sure to use a mild soap on your skin. I personally recommend Pears – Pure and Gentle or Dove Cream Beauty bathing bar.

Soaps that have a strong fragrance, high levels of sodium lauryl sulphate and a high pH level can be harsh on your skin.

Mild soaps generally does not affect the pH level of the skin. This therefore does not flush your essential body oils and keeps your skin protected.

Not only does taking a shower energizes you, you can also reflect and get your thoughts together.  Agatha Christie has said that she came up with most of her plots while she was in the shower.

So put on your “showering caps” and get into that shower ?

4. At the start of the day, pick up the top priority item on your list

So after you have completed your morning routine you can start your day.

I would advise you to start with the thing that has the most priority in your life right now.

That means if you are a student you can probably pick up that subject which has an upcoming test in school.

If you are working you can start with that presentation you are supposed to give in a week.

If you are self – employed you can go for that marketing move or launching a new product/service or whatever it is that carries the most importance right now.

Doing the most important thing in the morning has several benefits.

First of all, you are the most productive in the morning. Secondly, once this activity is completed in the first half of your day, you feel more confident, motivated and satisfied.

This helps you complete your other planned activities for the day successfully as well.

Now, for some it might be difficult to decide what is the most important.

So to help you do that, ask yourself the following questions :

• Do I have a test/deadline scheduled?
• What is the most difficult task that lies ahead for me?
• What is it that has to done in the near future for my studies/employment/business?

The answer you get to the above questions is probably your top most priority.

5. Pray or Express Gratitude

This is very important. Whichever religion it is that you follow, it is essential that we be grateful for what we have.

Here are some of the things we need to be grateful for :

• Good Health
• Family
• Job
• Children
• Business, etc.

Now, you might not be big on prayer or you may not even believe in God.

Being grateful for the things you have helps you realize that even if things are going absolutely  wrong in your life right now,  you still have a lot of things that many are not blessed with.

Gratitude increases self-satisfaction, motivation and productivity. It is also responsible for better sleep and reduced stress.

So if you need help you expressing such gratitude, here’s how you can do it.

Close your eyes, take a deep breath and say the following to your self :

“ I am grateful for __________________ “

You can be grateful for waking up that day or for getting a job promotion. It can be anything.

I practice this for 10 minutes regularly and it has proved to be very effective for me.

Many also prefer keeping a “Gratitude Journal”. So whatever suits, as long as you express gratitude.

6. Power Nap for 20 Minutes

I would say that this is completely optional. It totally depends on how hectic the first part of your day has been.

A power nap of not more than 20 minutes is beneficial for giving your body and brain some rest.

It boosts your productivity and energizes you for the next half of the day.

Of course, it goes without saying that sleeping too much in the afternoon is not good. You might not be able to fall asleep at night

7. In the afternoon, do something difficult and challenging

My guess would be that such kind of activities are being delayed by you because it’s difficult or you may find it relatively boring.

This is a good time to pick up such activity because since you have completed your top most priority, you are more motivated. Also, your productivity has not declined because of the power nap you have probably taken.

Things that we tend to run away from are the most challenging. The afternoons is a good time to reflect on it and figure out a way to make it work.

When you get stuck there are various things that you should try. Call your colleague, take a break, surf the net , etc. But just don’t give up.

When I get stuck with a difficult job, I close up whatever it is that I am doing and take a walk. This helps me relax and reflect on where I have been going wrong.

Always remember,

“Sometimes the easiest way to solve a problem is to stop participating in that problem.”

8. Practice a Craft

It is very important to have something other than your full-time job or your studies.

Picking up and Practicing a craft diverts your attention away from the things at work that could be bothering you. This “craft” can be anything.

My craft is Dance and Music.

For you, it could be from collecting stamps to making YouTube videos.

Your routine should not, only consist of WORK WORK and WORK ! You need to understand that you’re not irreplaceable. The moment you lose your market worth you are going to be replaced.

This is why, we need to excel at something else as well.

It also gives a good look to your profile, when you are applying for jobs at multi-national companies. Organizations are not looking for people who will just sit at their chairs and work.

They need an individual with an overall development that contributes to the society as well.

So if you don’t have a hobby yet, FIND ONE NOW!

9. Go down for a run/jog/sport

It is important to stay active in life. That is why I would advise you to
GET OUT OF THE HO– USE.

I know the very purpose of the lock down is to prevent the virus from spreading. But you can always wear a mask and either go on the terrace of your building or below the building for a walk.

Staying indoors for long, can cause you to be depressed and demotivated. You should go out, BUT only after taking all the necessary precautions.

The adrenaline rush when you run or jog is good to maintain hormonal balance. It also helps you stay positive and puts you in good spirits.

It may not be necessary for you to spend too much time. Even spending 15 minutes of your time outside the house can go a long way, in helping you maintain your level of productivity.

So, Get back on your feat, Smile and Repeat!

10. In the evening, pick up something that’s easy on the mind

Now, for the last lap of the day, you should try and pick something on your To-Do list that is easy on your mind.

This probably makes the most sense, since you are tired. You probably want to jump straight to bed. But sleeping too early is not going to help you in staying pro-active.

So, do something that’s easy and not much time-consuming.

For me, when I was in school, I used to study English. I used to find English easy and all the lessons were pretty interesting.

But now, when I am working, I try and do that activity which does not require me to think a lot. I put on my earphones, tune into my favorite tracks and complete that particular task.

So, what you do towards the end of the day, should be something that you are most comfortable with. This will end the day on a positive note and you will be excited for the next day.

11. Turn off the lights

As much as staying productive and proactive is important. The same amount of importance and priority should also be given to getting a good night’s sleep.

Like I have said before, it is important to have a fixed routine. So the time you go to sleep everyday should be the same with maybe a 15-20 minute variation.

DO NOT COMPROMISE on your sleep because it is important to let your mind and body rest.

If you are under the impression that you can sleep for 2-3 hours and do completely fine, you are wrong.

Unless you have a medical condition, sleeping for 7-8 hours a day IS A MUST.

And as it is famously said, “Your future depends on your dreams, so go to sleep”.

So that is it from me.

I hope you are doing well in this period of quarantine.

Start implementing the above routine and let me connect with me to share your success ! 🙂

Happy reading ! ?