Hitha On The Go isn’t just my blog’s name – it’s my natural state of being.
While it aptly described my old jetsetting days (I miss you, United 1K status), it also works for my current life. Which mostly is lived in Ubers, restaurants, and coffee shops. (And my pajamas on the handful of work-from-home-like-a-sloth days).
Even on the days where I’m home, I’ll head to one of the nearby cafés for my ‘focused’ work time. And to make the most of this time, I force myself to follow these 5 tips.
Otherwise, I’m just spending money to putz around the Internet. Which is best left for home, curled up on the couch with Netflix playing in the background.
Tip #1 – CAFFEINE UP, THE RIGHT WAY
Not all caffeinated beverages are created equal – or equally for all of us. My stomach can’t handle brewed coffee, and too much milk in my coffee will make me feel heavy and sluggish. I stick with 3 standby drinks – a cortado with almond milk, a jasmine green tea with matcha, or an iced green tea with lemon. These each give me just the perfect boost without weighing me down or giving me a stomachache.
Tip #2Â -Â STAND UP
I’ve had fitter days – and these days are not those. I make myself feel better about the situation by walking as much as I possibly can or standing while I work. Most of my favorite local coffee shops have counters and stools for customers, which is where I typically set up to work from. While there are mixed opinions on the benefits of standing while working, I find that I focus better when I’m standing versus sitting.
The exception – when Rho decides to throw an all-night rager. In that case, you’ll find me firmly planted in a banquette, since I need all the extra comfort and rest I can get.
Tip #3 -Â SINGLETASK
Context/task switching – when you shift between different types of tasks – can result in a massive hit to your productivity. It can take your brain anywhere from 5-30 minutes to fully focus on a different type of task. If you spend your day switching between e-mails, updating a deck, or working on copy for a particular project, you could be losing up to 90 minutes of productive work time (and that’s assuming you’re working on e-mails once or twice). Before I even leave my apartment, I’ll queue up the project on my computer and break down the total project into smaller tasks – write copy, create imagery, schedule posts. Not only does this save any context switching time, but I also don’t waste any “where do I start?” time (which can occupy anywhere from 10-30 minutes for me).
Tip #4Â -Â GO AGAINST THE CLOCK
I purposefully leave my computer charger at home when I’m working from a coffee shop. When I know I have a finite time to get my work done, I’m less prone to wasting it on social media or falling down a BuzzFeed rabbit hole. To maximize your battery life (and your productivity), close out any non-essential application or window. For me, I shut down all my e-mail accounts, social media pages, and anything that may have Rho’s picture on it. The only device that I enable notifications on (and critical ones at that) is my smartwatch – the Titan JUXT, Engineered by HP. The accompanying app makes turning notifications on and off a breeze.
Tip #5Â -Â TREAT YO’SELF
…in the form of rainbow Rice Krispie treats. Or a cookie. A cupcake, if I’ve been especially productive.
Because what’s the point of getting everything done if you don’t get a little reward?
wearing a Rodarte sweatshirt, Topshop jeans, Reebok sneakers (c/o), Titan JUXT, Engineered by HP (c/o), Alexander Wang backpack. Marble MacBook decal available here.
I’d love to know – how do you get your best work done while working away from home or the office? COMMENT below and let me know!
This post was created in partnership with Titan & HP. All opinions are, of course, my own.
photography by Lydia Hudgens
