I’ve been having real difficulty concentrating whilst working at home. I find it hard to start tasks, my eyes are sore, a 5-day week feels daunting and I feel anxious when I don’t complete the tasks I planned to do. I miss going to work!

At the Graduate School Drop-In today, we talked to a PhD student about concentration and productivity. We came up with a few practical ideas that I thought I’d share with you:

My view from home

the view from the learning hub

1. Try to accept that this isn’t a normal situation and you might not be as productive as normal. It doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong,
2. If it’s not working – stop. Don’t stare at the screen getting anxious – walk away, do something else and then try again later or try doing something else,
3. Take regular breaks – maybe aim to work for 45 minutes in each hour and then give yourself permission to stop,
4. Change your routine or location – find the times and places that you’re most productive in at different times. If you’re not able to concentrate at the kitchen table, try sitting somewhere else. I take a day or half day off each week to create less daunting chunks of time,
5. Look after yourself. Make sure you’re eating well, drinking enough water, staying active and getting enough sleep. There are lots of online resources and guidance on these – I’ve just linked to an example of each.