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10 Tips for Working from Home
- Have a routine but be OK being flexible. Since quarantine started, I even struggled with finding my routine again. My “work from home” routine was disrupted when I wasn’t allowed to play volleyball in the mornings and/or go get my cold brew before I started to work. I didn’t get to see my work buddy everyday. So I had to change it. I now know that I am able to start officially working after I work out, make my own at-home cold brew, open the shades on the windows, eat breakfast. With that being said, life isn’t the same at home. Things come up, you’re taking on responsibilities you didn’t have beforehand. The harder you are on yourself about “not sticking exactly to your routine”, the less enjoyable it will be. Hold yourself accountable to the work you need to get done, but be OK with a schedule change or a disrupted routine.
- Choose a “work spot”. I’m going to be honest with this one. I have an office, (an office I just completely renovated..so who knows, this might change) but it is tucked away in a very private part of the house. After years of attempting to tuck myself away into the office on my own, I came to the realization that “I WANT TO BE…. WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE!”. Which is TOTALLY ok. I found myself to be much more productive when I’m in the action…..this sometimes means on the living room couch or in my kitchen. I’m even guilty of bringing out my massive desktop out to the kitchen so I don’t suffer from a debilitating case of FOMO. (fear of missing out, for those of you who don’t know what that means). Find out where and why you’re most productive and STICK TO IT!
- Open your windows… you need LIGHT! If you have shades, open those bad boys up. Light is a mood booster and you need to stay away from the darkness of being in a working cave. This is just not conducive to a healthy work environment. I’m guilty of getting stuck in the cave of darkness when I’m really into working.
- Create a space that you WANT to work and inspire so you. Wherever in the house this may be, make sure the space is cultivated for you. Clean that space, take care of it. Make it a space you WANT to be productive in. I’m a big house plant lady. I love the way it can make a space feel more alive.. which definitely can help when you’re inside all day. A dog is great company too 😉
- DON’T be hard on yourself. This was one of the hardest things for me when I first started working from home. I used to equate leaving the house etc. to being productive. When I first started working from home, I was HARD on myself. I didn’t FEEL productive. So I definitely suffered from the “Stay- at-home-blues”. You have to have grace with yourself and realize that just because you haven’t changed out of your PJs today doesn’t mean you’re not productive. As soon as you can understand that and be ok with it, the sooner working from home will be a more enjoyable experience.
- Figure out when you’re the most productive (or able to be most productive) and utilize those times. I’ve been working from home for 8 years and I TRIED to stick to the 9-5 work schedule… but you know what? I am NOT the most productive at those times. I am most productive at night, when I can throw on a TV show and edit my little heart out while I listen. Because of this, I structure my day around this. If you have children and/or other responsibilities, that is ok! Such is the benefit of working from home. If your child naps from 11-1… then that’s the best work schedule for you!
- Drink water! AND EAT. Nobody is there to remind you when your 30 minute lunch break is. That’s on you now. If you’re anything like me, I’m a crazy person who will blow through 2 meals because I’m working too hard and then find myself confused when I have no energy or don’t feel well. Feed yourself. Drink water. I know this may sound simple but I can’t stress how hard it was (is) for me.
- Take breaks. Ah. Breaks. This is SUPER important. It can be super easy to just sit at your computer “working” and next thing you know, you’re on your best friend’s dog trainer’s brother’s wife’s instagram looking at how cute her children are. Your brain can only handle focused work for so long. Force yourself to take breaks. Use a timer if you need to. Get up, stretch. Drink water.
- Make yourself a playlist or have a show on in the “background” This might not be the same for everyone else, however, creating an ambiance to work in is key. Put some music on. Find a tv show you can “watch” in the background (I have watched many shows that I’ve barely ever looked at…) If you’re doing something like editing, it’s best to let your creative brain do it’s thing.
- MAKE A TO DO LIST. Last but not least… THE most important thing for me. Every day, I write down what I need to do and it helps me SO much. It helps me be accountable and make sure I don’t get distracted before I get the things I need to get done, done.
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