Once upon a time, I was really good atworking from home.

But ever since mylifebecame working from home, the struggle has been real.

Confined to my apartment with little opportunity to break up the day, my brain has finally started rioting.

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I know Im not the only one feeling mentally foggy right now.

But given everything going on, those alone havent been cutting it for me.

Hopefully, theyll help you too.

Switch to writing by hand.

Hell, Ive even written whole drafts longhand when Ive felt particularly plugged up.

Plus, upbeat music is a reliable way to wake up my brain, even just a little.

Embrace the midday shower.

Is there any feeling better than those first few moments after ashower?

Especially when I end it with a blast of cold water to really wake myself up.

Or at least use cold water insomeway.

But you’ve got the option to still use the powers of cold water to your advantage.

Seriously, our brains love cold in small doses.

A small 2016Psychological Sciencestudy found that evenlookingat pictures of cold landscapes helped participants perform cognitive tasks.

Cut back on multitasking.

For a lot of us, this is hardespecially right now.

And thats not even considering the multitasking inherent to a lot of jobs.

Even having Slack open can pull your attention in another direction.

During each 25-minute chunk, tell yourself youll focus on one task and one task only.

No distractions, no multitasking.

I work on being kind to myself.

No list on productivity andmental healthright now would be complete without acknowledging that self-compassion is king here.

Sometimes you just need to acknowledge how youre feeling and resist being hard on yourself for it.

It isnt just about kindness, either.

Its about being realistic.

In my experience, pushing through brain fog only leads to frustration, guilt, and burnout.

Im not saying this can always mean calling it a day and trying again tomorrow.

Because, well, capitalism.

But at the very least, lower your expectations.

Work on smaller, easier tasks orgive yourself permissionto do a less-than-great job.

Many people are primed to be more understanding and flexible right now given the circumstances.

Were all just trying our best, you know?