6 ways to stay productive with flexible hours

At first glance, it may seem that working in a flexible schedule is the ultimate dream. But in reality, an unpredictable schedule often turns into stress, the disappearance of boundaries between life and work, and sleepless nights. It requires high skills of self-discipline and self-organization. This is easily confirmed by freelancers, remote workers, private practitioners and people involved in project work.

Therefore, it is very important to draw up an adequate schedule for you and find life hacks that will help you feel calm and confident. Here are some ideas on how to do this.

1. Maneuver and switch

But do it smartly. Multitasking is very tempting, but in reality it doesn’t increase your productivity; on the contrary, it only drains you.

Trying to quickly switch from one activity to another, we are only wasting time and energy. After you've been distracted by a new notification, for example, it takes you, on average, 23 minutes to focus on your previous task again.

But still, switching between tasks can be used effectively, and here's when to do it.

If the case can be completed within the next 15 minutes. For example, a customer urgently asks to make edits to the project or answer some questions. Does this task take at least 20-30 minutes? Keep focusing on your current work.
If the task can be transferred to the background. While you are uploading a video to the hosting or waiting for the photos to be processed, you can check your mail, write a story on a social network, or reply to messages. In this case, you are not distracted, but simply compensate for a little "downtime".
If two cases involve different processes. For example, one requires the work of the mind, the other - the hands. While you are shopping, cleaning houses, or doing any other mechanical work that does not require mental exertion, it is quite possible to listen to a useful audiobook.

2. Find the "core" in your graph

Even the most chaotic schedule is likely to have stability. For example, on some days you go to group gym classes, English lessons, or a manicure. And in others, go to the office for a planning meeting or meet with a regular client.

Let these things, clearly tied to a certain time, become a kind of core around which you will build the rest of the schedule.

All you have to do is fill in the gaps with more flexible tasks - and now you have a routine, and not just a chaotic pile of tasks.

This will give you a sense of certainty and stability. Plus, with a more or less constant schedule, you will get more done and spend less time trying to navigate a lot of messy tasks.

3. Create rituals

Flexible tasks, including personal ones, can also become an important part of the schedule. And if you combine them into groups and tie them to a specific time of day, they will turn into rituals. For example, a morning ritual can consist of exercise, meditation, diary - as in the acclaimed book by Hal Elrod "Magic of the Morning". And in the evening, you can add reading, eye exercises, a bath with aromatic oils, facial treatments and so on.

Rituals help structure the day and divide it into blocks, bring a sense of stability, and set one up for work. They also improve sleep.

4. Maintain a working spirit

For those who work outside the home, this is easier: the very atmosphere of the office or study is conducive to work. Freelancers and remote workers, on the other hand, can find it very difficult to tune in to tasks. There is always a temptation to lie on the couch for a couple of days or, conversely, forget to “leave” work and relieve tension.

To prevent this from happening, try to separate work and household chores.

For example, deal with work issues only until a certain hour and on certain days - as it would be with a constant schedule. And be sure to set aside a work area at home: sitting on the sofa where you usually watch Netflix, it will be difficult to tune in to business.

5. Sleep during the day

Especially if, due to an unstable schedule, you do not get enough sleep at night. A short nap - from 10 to 90 minutes - refreshes, helps to recuperate, energizes. The duration of such a rest will have to be determined independently, starting from your own feelings. But to find the optimal time of the day, this calculator will help.

Place a red arrow at the time you woke up and see where the yellow and blue circles intersect. This will be the ideal time for a nap. For example, if you woke up at 7 am, the best time to take a nap is at 2 pm.

And in general: do not forget to rest and take breaks every 25-45 minutes. Otherwise, you risk losing concentration and work will be unproductive.

6. Keep personal affairs a priority

Under a normal schedule, work takes a strictly allotted time for it - for example, from 10:00 to 18:00. And when the schedule is unstable, it strives to absorb 16 hours a day. If not all 24. And personal affairs and projects are often put on the back burner with the clause "I'll do it when I'm done with work." But this happy moment never comes.

Therefore, try to act on the contrary. First of all, devote time to personal matters - sports, self-education, creativity, or blogging. And only then proceed to the main tasks. So you will learn to do the same job in less time and get rid of the feeling that life is passing by you, and you do not have time to do what is important to you.