Extra LSR: Stay Productive While Working From Home During COVID-19.

Extra LSR: Staying Productive During Social Distancing.

Extra LSR, Home Decor, 88 Comments

by Ashley

Ashley Style Blogger + Creative Director

The coronavirus has us all adjusting to a new normal of social distancing. Here’s how I’m staying productive.

In all of my 30-something years, I’ve never seen anything like this. Sure, there was SARS, H1N1, Ebola, and Zika. They were all scary and deadly– but social distancing? What? None of those previous outbreaks impacted my daily life. Or humanity on a global scale– at least not like COVID-19 (aka coronavirus) has.

Extra LSR: A Chic + Productive Home Office.
Extra LSR: Stay Productive While Working From Home During COVID-19.
Yes, you counted correctly: 4 screens, 2 laptops. Personal + work. And if you look closely, you can see a third laptop resting on the second shelf. That would be the freelance laptop. Because apparently I need a command center.

Shop my desk essentials here:

I’ve been working from home for weeks now. (See the original tour of my home office here.) So has Dave. We don’t hit our favorite bars and restaurants for a mid-week pick-me-up or a date night. We don’t go to the movies. Dave’s had most of his spring races canceled. A comedy show (Iliza!) my best friend and I were supposed to see has been postponed until September. My entire organization has moved to telecommuting– and not very smoothly.

Everyone is doing their best during this trying time, but it wears on you. All the things we took for granted– happy hours, swinging by Target on the way home from the office, filling out a bracket and watching some March Madness– all of those things have been canceled, postponed, or closed. And then you hear about the numbers, the people who are getting sick and dying, the alarming rate at which the population is becoming infected– it’s a lot. And for those of you trying to do all this and manage your out-of-school children: you deserve all the awards. And the alcohol.

But this, too, will pass. (As long as everyone keeps listening to the World Health Organization, maintaining a social distancing practice, and washing their hands!) And we’ve got to find a way to not only get by but fully adjust until it does. I’ve gathered some of the tasks and practices I’ve been incorporating these last few weeks that encourage me to stay productive during all this corona madness. And now I’m sharing ’em with you!

Extra LSR: A Chic + Productive Home Office.
I do, actually, give a damn- just about global pandemics and not petty shit. 😉

Shop these pieces:

Tackle your closet.

We’ve all been there– suddenly your closet feels stuffed with pieces you don’t love or don’t ever wear. Maybe there are some items that don’t fit properly, or maybe your taste has changed. Whatever the reason, the spring season + social distancing combine for the opportune time to edit that wardrobe.

Take all the pieces that are still wearable and donate ’em; someone else will fall in love with it and you’ll be contributing to sustainable fashion.

Speaking of closets… How is your overflow closet? You know, that one closet in the guest room that ends up housing a little bit of anything and everything (and usually to brim)? Take an hour and sift through it. Throw away what is broken or doesn’t work and then donate the rest.

Some of my fave items to keep me organized:

Wash your makeup brushes– or clean something random.

How often do you give your makeup brushes a good scrub? (Be honest.) Washing them keeps the bristles conditioned, which keeps your brushes in good shape while also removing bacteria that can contribute to breakouts.

Take 20 minutes and do some brushing washing. A brush pad like this really helps get the brush super clean. Be sure to use a gentle soap (I use Dawn) and thoroughly squeeze the water out before laying the brushes out to dry. You can also snag one of these to allow your brushes to dry upside down (this keeps water from seeping down into the part of the brush where the bristles are glued in).

Items to help whip those brushes into shape:

If your makeup brushes are already spotless, scan your house for small tasks that you very rarely do. A few ideas:

  • Dust the top of your kitchen cabinets.
  • Clean out your freezer and wipe down the shelves.
  • Go through your makeup stash and toss anything that is expired.
  • Scan your camera roll and move anything to your cloud or to an external hard drive before freeing up the space on your phone. Run through your apps and uninstall anything you don’t use or don’t need anymore. Then do the same for your computer!
  • Swiffer your baseboards.
Extra LSR: Stay Productive While Working From Home During COVID-19.
I’ve had to shuffle this credenza around to accommodate a printer. Oh, the things I took for granted at the office!

Shop these pieces:

Take some time to pamper yourself without losing steam.

I’m noticing I’m actually working more in this new work-from-home lifestyle because I’m never really unplugged. There’s no daily leaving of the office to signify that the workday is done, so I often find myself working well outside my usual hours. (It doesn’t help that working for a medical membership organization means that we are busy af trying to help our members navigate this health crisis.) This leaves me feeling completely drained (and often with a screentime-induced headache) at the end of the day.

How to combat this and still be productive? Self-care while you work. (I know, it seems like an oxymoron.)

I’ll throw on a hair mask– a usually messy, wet endeavor that requires me to walk around with a topknot of conditioner-soaked hair for at least a half-hour. I take that time to sit down and plow through some emails. I usually end up sitting there for longer than the required 20-30 hair mask minutes (something I rarely do when I try to squeeze a hair mask in during on a weeknight), and then I take a break and rinse it out. Boom! Two jobs done: one that keeps work moving forward, and one that pampers me a bit.

My favorite pampering products:

Here are some other two-birds-with-one-stone ideas:

  • Put on a face mask while on a Skype call (with the laptop camera turned off, obviously). Make sure you reserve sheet masks for times when you’re not required to talk, as these make that kinda tough.
  • Soak your feet under your desk (or your kitchen table, or your couch– wherever you work from home) for 15 minutes, then dry off and apply a super hydrating foot or body lotion. Slip on some thick socks and go back to work.
  • Taking a break from your laptop? Do a quick 10 minutes of yoga (I’m actually digging this app right now– easy to follow and free). You’ll stretch out those muscles that have been hunched over a computer screen and you’ll log a little movement in the middle of your day.
  • Use your lunch break to reconnect by shooting a few, “Hey, thinking of you– what’s new?!” texts to your close friends and family. It’s easy to get disconnected in a time when we’re all staying inside, and passively scrolling through Instagram or Twitter isn’t the same as a real convo. Better yet: call or FaceTime someone!

Extra LSR: Stay Productive While Working From Home During COVID-19.

Extra LSR: A Chic + Productive Home Office.

Extra LSR: Stay Productive While Working From Home During COVID-19.

Pick up that book (or podcast, or Netflix series) you’ve been meaning to finish.

In the age of COVID-19, many of our downtime activities have been postponed indefinitely. So if there’s a book you keep starting but haven’t finished, or there’s a podcast you’ve been meaning to check out– do it! I plan on finishing Dana James’ The Archetype Diet and logging more of Lacy Phillips’ Pathway workshops.

Extra LSR: A Chic + Productive Home Office.
You know who is just THRIVING right now? My pups. They love us being home all day, every day. Maximum pets, backyard playtime, and cuddles.

Start something new.

Been meaning to start going on a daily jog? Or taking your pup for a walk? Starting a meditation practice? Or a journal? Now. Is. The. Time. The daily life you knew has been completely upended, so use that to your advantage to start some new, good-for-you practices. By doing them regularly now, they’re more likely to become habits that stick once we hit the stop button on social distancing.

How are you using your social distancing time? I want to hear it all! I want to know how you’re coping, what new hobbies or practices you’ve adopted, and what you’re planning to do to maximize (while staying safe!) during this very strange, very scary period in human history. Tell me in the comments!

Stay safe + well, everyone. (And if you’re still reading this: go wash your hands.)

Extra LSR: Stay Productive While Working From Home During COVID-19.

Linking up with Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, The Fashion Canvas, I Do DeClaire, Straight A Style, Rosy Outlook + Seeking Sunshine, Pumps and Push Ups, Living on Cloud Nine, Curly Crafty Mom + Doused in Pink, Elegance & Mommyhood, Nancy’s Fashion Style, A Pocketful of Polka Dots, Shelbee on the Edge, Jersey Girl Texan Heart, and Away from the Blue.

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88 Comments

  5. This too shall pass <3 Love your command center, get it girl! I've been trying to tackle projects I never have time for, and it definitely feels great to accomplish things on the never ending to-do list.

    Green Fashionista

    Reply

  6. You’re adjusting well. All of us are thrown off our routine but, with insight, we can use the opportunity to attend to things we normally neglect. Thanks for showing us your home. With that command center, you could run NASA!

    Reply

    1. That’s my plan, too- it’s good to purge and organize right now, because you end up feeling so much better about your space!

  8. I wish my home office space was this incredible! i love how much light you’re getting during the day – makes working from home easier! xo, Biana

    Reply

    1. The natural light is SO key! Helps me stay alert and also gives me something to look at (lots of dog-walking and jogging happening in our neighborhood right now, haha) when I’m taking a little breather!

  10. I absolutely love your space! It looks so bright and organized, and I can appreciate all of the screens. You deserve your own command center, haha! 🙂 I’m trying to do a lot of this since I’m all cooped up at home, and staying as positive as possible.

    Make Life Marvelous

    Reply

    1. Staying positive is really key- it can definitely wear on you! I’m glad you’re digging the space- I’m so lucky to have an actual home office space; I couldn’t imagine doing all this working from home stuff from the couch!

    1. I have ALL the screens, lololol. I brought my work laptop + monitor home from the office when the stay-at-home order was put in place, which doubled things up when you account for my personal laptop + monitor. Keeps things electronically organized! 😉

  12. Such wonderful tips my sweet friend and I am so happy that you have a great view from your home office like I do, we are very blessed and I hope you are all safe and well!

    Reply

    1. Ah, I bet it’s nice not to have to travel! I’m working from home, too, and it’s been nice to not have to spend time getting ready + driving into the office, which means my mornings are a little less hectic. 🙂

    1. It can be rough- I am having trouble keeping track of what day it is because every day is pretty much the same!

    1. What I love about it is that it doesn’t take a whole lot of effort and you’re totally killing two birds with one stone! 🙂

    1. It’s a wild time, for sure. I’m trying to make the best of it over here. 🙂 Thanks for swinging by, Jil!

  22. Okay I love all of these ideas for staying occupied and productive! It is crazy how much we took normal life for granted before all of this–never again! Stay safe and healthy friend!

    Rosy Outlook 

    Reply

    1. It really IS bananas- things are going to be so different once this passes. We just shelter in place and wash those hands constantly until then! 😉 Stay well, babe!

  29. Great points! I remember all those other virus years back. I even went to Hong Kong during the SARS epidemic! Even during those two weeks, it never reached what we’re going through now. There hasn’t been anything that reaches the level we’re seeing today in over 100 years. This is history in the making. It’s not something to mess around with either. So it is so damn discouraging to see so may people not taking it seriously. For me, it’s still business as usual and i have to travel around visiting supermarkets for work. My anxiety over being out and about really hit me on Monday. I wish I could stay home and it makes me so mad seeing so many people out and about. I really feel for health workers who are fighting this at the front lines. They’re literally putting their lives on the line to save those infected so it is so damn important to stay the fuck inside! I can’t imagine the kind of anxiety and fear that plagues them. For me there’s always that thought that creeps into my mind, the slim possibility someone should be home isn’t and is touching everything in store. For them, there is no small chance. The people they are helping, walking around, being in the same room all have the virus. It is no joke for them. We need to help them out as much as we can by just staying home.

    Sxx
    daringcoco.com

    Reply

    1. Oh man, I am thinking of you, babe! Supermarkets are like the #2 spot after hospitals- I mean, we all need food, right? But yes, I see so many ignoring the warnings on the news- like all those kids on spring break, crowding the beaches, what the actual FUCK. It’s terrifying because our best weapon against the virus right now is breaking the chain via social distancing/sheltering in place. With no vaccine and no community immunity, it’s ALL we can do. People in KC seem to be taking it pretty seriously- grocery stores are busy but people seem to be keeping their distance. We try to minimize our trips out of the house as much as we can- ordering online is the way to go!

      Thinking of you! Stay safe + well.

  34. Your office is SO nice. I just love all of the natural light and your beautiful decor! I really like that Himalayan pink salt glass desk table lamp!! I’ve never seen one that looks like that one. I am hoping to clean out my closet for the Spring this weekend!

    Carrie
    curlycraftymom.com

    Reply

  35. I am mostly working from home now too . And Today I cleaned my all make up brushes. I slowly have finish long tv series in Netflix , I am reading books etc. It’s good to use in some way this time that we spend at home cause of the Corona virus

    Reply

  36. These are all fabulous suggestions, thank you! You know, I’m going to clean my makeup brushes ASAP; thanks for the reminder, girl! Also, oh my GOSH your office space is a dream!!

    aglassofice.com x

    Reply

  37. Yes, there are so many things that we can do to keep busy. I work remotely most days anyway so this is one time that I feel I have a bit more time. I love podcasts and trying to keep up with regular things is tough because I have to get up so early.

    Reply

  41. Gorgeous office set up, Ashley! We’re working from home too. Hubby is set up at his desk and I work from my laptop following the kids around the house – I like to be where they are. That way I can take breaks from working and get in some snuggles or Legos… the good stuff, you know. We’re also homeschooling which is all kinds of fun! I love your list of tips. We seem to be busier now than before though – still, we’re grateful to have jobs and that we’re all together. Gorgeous pup, by the way!

    Reply

  46. Ashley, your workspace is so beautiful! And I love your Rhett Butler quote print! That is one of my favorite book quotes of all time! Such great words to live by in certain circumstances. I feel I like I fall into a minority of people who have much less time for new activities during this quarantine period. Since I already work from home, my workload has not changed. But then add in homeschooling 2 elementary school kids and I am literally scrambling every day to get all the necessary things done that I have zero down time at all! Thankfully my husband has been ordered to stay home as well except for a few hours twice a week. And since he cannot do work from home, he is a tremendous help with the children and everything else! Thanks for linking up with me.

    Shelbee
    http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com

    Reply

  50. These are good tips, and it’s nice that you weren’t affected by any of the previous outbreaks.

    I’ve not got a lot of time as I’m home with the kids as the schools are closed, and I need to focus on teaching them as well as working from home and keeping them quiet and entertained so that hubby can work form home too. It’s a busy time but I’m not sure it’s very productive, haha!

    Hope that you had a lovely weekend 🙂 We all stayed home and stayed safe, hope you did too.

    Away From Blue

    Reply

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