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​By Jim Lombardo, CPCU, AAI, AIM, MBA, AVP of Learning & Development​

A recent article on cnn.com had some good advice about people who may have “hit a wall working from home."  I thought it was well written.  Here are some key points:

Find your power hour
Look for the times during the day that you are most productive and go all in.

"Find some power hours where your energy spikes and go full force," said Kim Monaghan, a career coach. "Do 20-, 60- or 90-minute sprints so you get a lot done and you feel better."

Tweak your environment
Giving your home workspace a little makeover can help get you over a productivity slump. And they don't have to be big (or expensive) changes.

Try adding some fresh flowers or pictures of your favorite vacation or cute family memories. "Make the space visually more stimulating and attractive to you," recommended Cohen.

Upgrading your technology in little ways, for instance, a WiFi extender to help with connection issues or a light to enhance your video calls can also make a workspace feel better and provide a productivity boost.

Upgrade your sweats
It also might be time to get a little more dressed up if you've been following a strict wardrobe diet of pajamas and sweatpants.

"Sometimes we get sloppy when we are at home," said Cohen. While you don't have to dress like you did when you went to the office, try upgrading a little.

"When you get sloppy physically, your brain gets sloppy."

Get moving
The good news about working from home is you can turn pretty much any area of the home into a workspace. While experts recommend having one dedicated space to work in when you have to really focus, you can bounce around to different spots to keep things fresh.

And avoid sitting in the same space for too long. "We need to take breaks," said Cohen. "Especially when weather is great. Even if you step outside for just a few minutes."

Set new goals
This year likely isn't going the way you thought it would. Given that we are facing an entirely different world than we were even four months ago, it's time to re-evaluate and set new career goals.

Find a purpose
When work becomes monotonous, it gets hard to see the important role you play.

Look for ways you are making a difference, suggested Monaghan. For instance, an accountant is looking for ways to save or make the company money. "There is a higher purpose to every single job out there," she said.

Learn something
Acquiring a new skill can be energizing, and it doesn't have to be related to your field or require going back to school. Pick up a non-fiction book, sign up for a webinar, listen to a podcast or watch tutorials online.​

As far as learning something, here are some upcoming CE webinars.

Reg 187 - It's in YOUR Best Interest

​Coverage Problems Your Contractors Hate

How Businesses Use Life Insurance Against Financial Losses