How to Be Productive While Working from Home, According to Your Sun Sign

For people who generally go into an office, work-from-home days might feel like the adult version of a snow day—but instead of sipping hot cocoa and watching movies, you're glugging multiple cups of coffee and rushing to join video conferences with co-workers. Now, in the face of a global pandemic, people who are privileged enough to have the opportunity to earn their paychecks from home have been urged to do just that—perhaps for a set period of time or indefinitely.

If you've brought your hustle home, it's worth considering the steps you can take and habits you can create to be more productive. One way to do this: taking astrological intel into consideration and seeing what your sun sign has to say about your best WFH practices. (Also consider trying the best sex position for your sign while you're stuck at home.)

It bears noting that your sun sign is just one detail of your personal astrology, but it does play a significant role in who you are at your core, shaping your sense of self, identity, individual style, vitality, self-esteem, and confidence. (This is especially apparent during your sign's season. If you identify with your sun sign, you likely feel even more alive, self-assured, and like your personality is even more amplified than usual during your season.)

The qualities of your Sun sign can lend especially relevant insight as well. Each element (fire, earth, air, water) has a fixed sign (Leo, Taurus, Aquarius, Scorpio), a cardinal sign (Aries, Capricorn, Libra, Cancer), and a mutable sign (Sagittarius, Virgo, Gemini, Pisces). The fixed crew are known as the most likely to be resolute, often refusing to budge on their view or plan; the cardinal group tends to initiate projects and offer a big-picture perspective, but can lack follow-through; the mutable club is the most adaptable but also changeable.

Here, how you can harness the energy of your sign to be productive and successful while WFH.

Aries (March 21–April 19)

As a fire sign ruled by go-getter Mars—the planet of action, sex, and energy—you prefer to make moves on the job, quickly and aggressively. So, if you can't walk over to a colleague's desk to debate a strategy or you feel like you're spending a ton of time setting up new apps in order to complete one simple assignment, you might be getting a bit ragey. Your best bet for managing your innate impatience and passion for doing as much as possible as fast as you can? Break cumbersome projects down into more "sprint-like" tasks—and make sure you prioritize a sweat session, which can beat your worst-nightmare feeling of being stagnant.

Taurus (April 20–May 20)

Ruled by beauty-loving Venus—which rules art, romance, and money—you're sensitive to your surroundings, which you prefer to be comfortable and visually-appealing. You're also the fixed sign of the earth crew with a reputation for being stubborn, so you're a creature of habit. Once you get into a routine and have a set workspace, chances are you're not going to switch it up. So, from the start, make sure it's up to your standards in terms of organization and aesthetics. Think: plenty of potted plants and eye-catching details (like an arrangement made with flowers from your garden or an array of candles in soothing hues and comforting scents), and lots of natural light. You'll learn to love designing a cozy sanctuary from which to advance your career goals (that is, if you don't already have one!).

Gemini (May 21–June 20)

Whether you're serving up witty banter for colleagues in a meeting or finding the perfect emoji for the group chat, being in touch with others is basically your lifeblood as the mutable air sign ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication. Missing out on that isn't really an option if you want to thrive, so play a game called, "Which emails might actually be better phone or video conferences?" When you're able to get even slightly "offline," you might feel like your innate ability to express yourself is amplified and your appetite for animated interaction is fulfilled. At the same time, taking breaks from lengthy Slack convos with your coworkers to do impromptu check-ins with loved ones and friends will keep you in the loop and centered.

Cancer (June 21–July 22)

As the ruler of the fourth house of home life and a sentimental, family-oriented water sign, you love nothing more than couching it. More specifically, being close to loved ones (Cancer is ruled by the maternal moon) or just spending time in your personal, secure space makes you happy and comfortable—two emotions that can set you up for WFH success. It's key for you to have a set schedule, separate space, and/or work-to-chill transition ritual, as you wouldn't want your professional responsibilities to throw a wrench in your domestic bliss. And don't underestimate the power of plenty of crave-worthy snacks—maybe some you procrastibaked for yourself and your nearest and dearest.

Leo (July 23–August 22)

Only one sign is ruled by the radiant, confident sun, and that's you, big-hearted, fixed fire Leo. You're most content and shine the brightest when you're recognized for your contributions, feel seen by colleagues and higher-ups, and are given free rein to be playful and creative in your work. For that reason, you'll do best to lean into your natural leadership tendencies and step up to take on next-level projects and responsibilities, which will keep you on task. Then, when you hit a goal, you can treat yourself to that lazy lunch hour spent scooping up a take-out order from your fave, spendy spot.

Virgo (August 23–September 22)

As the ruler of the sixth house of daily routine and wellness, and a mutable, pragmatic earth sign, you were born to work from home. Nothing gets you more fired up than a crisp, pretty to-do list. Communicator Mercury is your guiding force, so you're in your element when you're flipping between browser tabs, firing back texts while listening to a podcast, then attending back-to-back phone conferences. But because you're prone to getting sucked into the minutiae of anything (like an impromptu heart-to-heart), give yourself a fighting chance to complete your work by throwing some apps into "Do Not Disturb" mode. Then, decompress and soothe that nonstop brain with yoga or meditation.

Libra (September 23–October 22)

As the cardinal air sign ruled by social Venus, the planet of love, beauty, and money, you're a thoroughly social creature, the host with the most, and a magnet for lively conversation. That said, chances are you adore being with your colleagues in-person, and being self-isolated might feel like a struggle. Tap into that air-sign curiosity and experiment with unique ways to connect with coworkers. Maybe you do a meeting/staff lunch or happy hour on a video conferencing platform or spearhead a virtual, philanthropic event everyone can participate in.

Scorpio (October 23–November 21)

As an emotionally intuitive, fixed water sign, working from home and surrounded by trappings of your life that feel familiar (and therefore security-boosting) can be deeply empowering. But given that your sign is co-ruled by action-oriented Mars and transformative Pluto, you need to feel as though you're in control—especially in terms of your senses. You'll do best to stick to a predictable, perhaps even rigid schedule, including set morning rituals (like brewing your favorite dark roast or taking an online Pilates class). Then, eliminate pesky distractions in a proactive way, like wearing noise-canceling headphones or finding a white noise playlist on Spotify that, soon, you can't imagine working without.

Sagittarius (November 22–December 21)

The mutable fire sign ruled by expansive, jovial Jupiter, you'll dive headfirst into a grand-scale project— especially if it's an opportunity to learn, grow, and, ideally, entertain others—but soon realize you really don't have the bandwidth. Without a commute to bookend your day, this tendency might get even worse. You'll spend 12 hours engrossed in your work, all the while forgetting to eat or take care of yourself. Or there's the other extreme: backburnering your tasks to binge Gentefied or Skype with a friend who lives overseas. Your best bet for WFH success is setting boundaries and finding rituals that will add healthy structure (think: a breathing practice or lighting a candle that gets blown out when you're done for the day).

Capricorn (December 22–January 19)

You're wired to constantly put your nose to the grindstone to achieve career goals and feel recognized by respected colleagues, thanks to your ruling planet, taskmaster Saturn, which oversees structure and discipline. And as the grounded cardinal earth sign, you're known for your ability to take deliberate, practical action related to your endgame. Basically, no matter where you are, you're working, so WFH shouldn't faze you much. But without having to spend extra time getting to and from your workplace, you might want to use those newfound minutes to start honing your skillset, develop a side hustle, or sign up for continuing education for advanced certification. As long as you have a challenge to work toward, you'll be content—and so will higher-ups.

Aquarius (January 20–February 18)

As an air sign, you're innately social, and as the ruler of the eleventh house of networking, you gravitate toward teamwork. Your airiness and the fact that your sign is ruled by revolutionary Uranus can make you quirky, changeable, and forward-thinking, but because you're the fixed one of the air crew, having definitive practices in place gives you a sense of security. For these reasons, you'll enjoy pinpointing and utilizing high-tech tools to help you stay on task. Apps that block social media and other distracting sites (like SelfControl and Zero Willpower) can bolster your will power and keep you focused. Embracing any opportunity to be inventive or even just tell eyebrow-raising jokes will keep your motivation up, too.

Pisces (February 19–March 20)

As a deeply feeling water sign ruled by dreamy, rational thought-clouding Neptune, you're psychic, empathetic, and prone to escapism. If you're not able to read your colleagues' emotional responses or tap into your imagination while working from home, you might find yourself feeling out of touch, bored, and perhaps even low-key miserable. Nurturing your spirituality and creativity and giving yourself the space to process emotions is central to being well and productive in your work. Meditation might be enormously beneficial, as could an emotional support animal that can offer you the kind of pure, unconditional love that can serve as a charger for your heartfelt, artistic energy.