How are you feeling about your productivity in quarantine? Are you able to “cut down on distractions,” “have good boundaries,” and “simplify,” as a recent Inc.com article on upping your output suggests? Or does that sound like some alternative universe where your progeny / pets / partners have been whisked away so you can close the door, focus, and monotask?! Like many of us, I’m in the latter camp. Quarantine feels like a minefield of distractions from dependent kids to ceaseless school emails – not to mention the fatigue that can come with adding many hats to our day jobs. But there is hope! All these get-it-done gremlins make it harder but not impossible to be effective. With a few small changes to our workspaces, we can give ourselves a fighting chance of success. Here are my fave do’s and don’ts.

DO - Have everything you need to hand

Staying out of sight can keep us out of mind – at least for a bit. So, it’s smart to set up our workspaces with everything we need for a good productive sprint. I like to ready a generously-sized tumbler for water, gallon jug for refills, giant cup of tea (such a Brit!) and a few healthy snacks. A mirror on the wall and lip balm on the desk can keep us camera-ready in loco. This way, we can hole up for a project or meetings and hopefully hold off the needy dog, chatty housemate or heart-wrenching wee kid question, “mummy, will you play with me?”

DON’T - Forget to move

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Once we’ve got into a groove, it’s easy to have it turn into a rut! Workplaces tend to make us get up and walk – to go to meetings, see clients or even just refill our coffee cups – working online, not so much. To get up every 30 or so minutes as experts recommend, how about giving the Pomodoro technique a go? You start by identifying your most important tasks of the day, then tackle them in 25-minute sprints. I like to use the prescribed five-minute breaks for a spot of yoga or few jumping jacks, a check on the kids and a refill of tea!

DO - Create a space that sparks joy

Is quarantine messing with your mojo? We’re not seeing people as much. We might be stressed or tired. And the four walls of our homes can start to feel awfully…familiar! So why not get our workspaces to help? A stylish coaster, whimsical mousepad, or decadent dish add personality and utility. Coordinating decor can make everything look less cluttered. Add a few family photos or uplifting art to your surroundings et voila, a bit of a boost when your get up and go just got up and went.

DON’T - Let your workspace become its own distraction

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When life is busy it’s easy to let our spaces become the same. Tableware can accumulate; papers can pile up. And where is that pen when we need it?! But just as chaos can beget chaos, so order can do the same. Help your workspace help you focus by having just what you need on your desktop. By ‘need,’ I mean the things that you use all the time (so yes to my giant cup of tea!). If you only use something sporadically, pop it away in a drawer – bonus points for corralling everything in a drawer organizer.

DO - See things clearly

Workspaces can pose a special challenge when it comes to lighting. Task lamps give the appropriate brightness for…well…tasks…but can take up valuable space on our desktops. Standard lamps, meanwhile, can be unwieldy. The two standard lamps that once flanked my desk managed to get in the way of the monitors, the blinds and the closet all at the same time – and still didn’t give off much light! If you’re facing similar obstacles, why not consider sconces? I just replaced the two sizeable standard lamps with a pair of adjustable sconces and they’re showing the room in a new light (sorry!). These two little bright spots illuminate just like a task lamp but take up no room on the desk or floor.

DON’T - Overlook your comfort

If we’ve only been using our desks for the odd work-from-home day or to pay a few bills, we may not have given much thought to ergonomics. But they can sure demand attention when we’re sitting in that spot for hours on end! Make life more comfortable with a supportive chair (the one in the pic has 420 5-star reviews on containerstore.com), ergonomic keyboard and mouse and adjustments to your eyeline with things like monitor stands. Since few of us are ergonomics experts, visit an occupational health and safety site to help you get sitting pretty.

I hope these tips are helpful and that you’re able to create a workspace that truly works. Please share how you’re staying productive in quarantine with a comment. And do stay safe and healthy wherever your work and life does.. or doesn’t… take you!