You have been productive all day at work, but when you get home productivity seems to go right out the window. Here are a few tips to keep you productive around the house after a long-day at work.

Don’t Be A Couch Potato

With more than two-hundred television channels, Netflix, Amazon Prime and more, it is easy to get sucked into the couch after work. Binge-watching our favorite shows has become a new past-time. We can spend too many hours trying to cram in as many shows. We are constantly hearing the word moderation and television watching is now on that list.

In June of 2016 The New York Times reported Americans are watching four to five hours of television a day. You do need some downtime, but try to limit your television and personal computer time to about one to two hours a day. This will give you time to get stuff done around the house.

Give Yourself A Deadline

Just like you have deadlines at work, give yourself personal deadlines. Become your own boss for the various projects you have around the house. Deadlines allow you to clear other non-pertinent items away and focus on things that need to get accomplished. Need help with keeping track of your projects? There’s an App for that!

Make A To Do List

The best way to start off your week of personal projects it to make a list. Organizing a list of projects with deadlines will help you focus on what you need to personally accomplish each week. Don’t make a mistake of cramming to many projects on your weekly “To Do” list. Forbes Magazine recommends quality lists over quantity lists. You will feel better accomplishing a shorter list instead of accomplishing only half of a crammed list.

Before Work Starts

What can you get done before work starts? A lot! Getting up an hour earlier each day can make a big difference in increased productivity. I suggest you use this time for getting chores done. We are always too tired at the end of the day. Having more energy in the morning can help keep your house clean. Set up a daily schedule to clean one room in the house a day or every other day. You will be surprised how much you can get done if you set your alarm ahead by one hour.

Realistic Goal Setting

It is extremely important to set realistic goals when trying to be productive. Twenty-four hours goes by really quick. We also need to give ourselves plenty of time to get a solid night of sleep. The National Sleep foundation recommends adults sleep range is between seven to nine hours.

It’s not realistic to start working on a project or setting a deadline that will keep you up most of the night. You become sleep deprived and even worse – discouraged! Don’t start projects one hour before it is time to go to bed unless you know they will only take fifteen to twenty minutes.

Partner

Two heads are better than one. Four hands are better than two! Grab a partner to help accomplish projects around the house. By teaming up, you save a lot of time. Having support from another person can motivate you to accomplish personal projects. Make sure you and your partner are on the same page when working together. This will help both of you focus on the project without wasting time. Spend a few minutes discussing the project together and iron out any disagreements before you begin.

By following a few of these suggested tips, you can start being more productive in your personal time.