I have worked from home for over a year now. It’s definitely not as glamorous and fun as I thought it would be. There are upsides; no boss, no coworkers, no corporate clothing, pajamas all day and no set schedule. The downsides, however, include showering becoming optional, no coworkers (it gets lonely) and no set schedule. In the beginning, I found myself wasting my mornings on absolutely nothing worthwhile and then working until midnight and beyond to keep up!
Let me save you the months of wasting time and money, because time IS money, and give you some solid, realistic tips on making the most out of every day!
Set A Schedule
Not having a schedule is so liberating! At least for a few months, but you’ve got to get a hold yourself! You are never going to be successful by doing nothing half the day and 18 things the other half. This was particularly difficult for me. I was (and I confess, sometimes still am) the person that had a minimum of 10 windows open at any given moment. Instead, I pick about 3 “must finish” things I really want to get done and systematically do them. If I have time left over after completing those 3 things, then I move onto the “should do” list. As business owners, there’s always something to do!
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Pro Tip: Write your “must do’s” and “should do’s” down! If you don’t, you’re very likely to stray off course or forget some of them altogether.
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Meditate
I know, I know. I can hear the audible sigh and see you rolling your eyes. I felt the same way until I really learned the value of meditation. When I got really stressed, I needed some help quieting my mind and a great friend, Juli of Mindful Elephant yoga, introduced me to meditation. I always thought meditation was about emptying your mind of all thoughts. Yeah right. But that’s not true. It teaches you to let your thoughts, feelings, and emotions flow passed you without judgment.
I use a guided meditation app called Headspace. The instructor’s voice is so soothing and he breaks learning to meditate down to bite-sized pieces that even the most cynical can digest. He says to treat your thoughts, feelings, and emotions like white clouds in a blue sky. Observe them and let them pass. Also, the best part? It only takes 10 minutes a day. Love it! I can’t recommend this app enough. (PS – I’m not an affiliate, I genuinely love this app.)
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Take a shower and get dressed
The temptation to stay in pajamas is really strong when you’re home alone but stay strong my dear. I feel so much more like a normal and calm productive person when I shower. Psychologically, you’re gearing yourself up to get things done!
Sometimes I shower multiple times a day when I’m particularly stressed because it helps clear my mind. I also get some of my best ideas in there!
Make time to read one chapter of a book every day
Before this, I never made time to read except on vacation and on planes. I read blogs, articles, and emails on digital marketing. All. The. Time. But that’s not what I consider reading. That, my friends, is work. The reading I’m talking about is an actual book. It could be about personal or professional development or fiction. Whatever. Reading keeps your mind sharp!
Setup a REAL home office
I won’t lie and say there are days when I work from the comfort of my bed. But, when it comes down to doing the parts of my work that I tend to procrastinate on, nothing puts me in the mood to GET SH*T done like sitting at a desk or a table. There’s something about it that switches my brain in work mode. If you’re so inclined, set up a vision board, visual calendar, get a scented candle or put up motivational and inspirational pieces of art. (Full disclosure, RegencyPark is my store. :-)). Whatever you do, make it space that feels comfortable to you.
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Exercise
Yes, I’m sorry. You have to exercise. I personally hate working out until I’m actually working out. It takes a lot to get me to the gym, but once I’m there, I always feel good afterward. Every day, do at least 30 mins of activity a day. To combat anxiety, studies show that hiking, running, and yoga are best. Exercise can help with boost your energy and focus.
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Finally, as you set a schedule first thing in the morning, know when to end your work day. Maximize your day and you won’t feel bad when you take time in the evening for self-care or spending time with loved ones.
What are some of your “best practices” for working from home?
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Love this post. I think about 50 tabs open at any time lol, between my blog, pinterest, instagram and everything else related to blogging. Definitely helps to open a new window and open only the tabs I need to focus on for the day.
I know! It’s so much easier and more productive to do one thing at a time though and it really helps with the “overwhelm” of working for yourself.
Great tips. I’m working on a post like this as well. I haven’t tried meditation yet but that’s something that I really want to get into. I’ll definitely check out that app Headspace. Also, having a schedule is a must. I keep a To-Do List for all the tasks I need to accomplish each day. It’s a life saver.
Kasia, I look forward to reading yours! I’m always looking for ways to improve focus and productivity.
I have issues sticking to schedules and being organized, it works for a day or two, then I go back to my clutter lol
Ha, I’m far from perfect. Rainy days make it really hard to work from anywhere but my bed!
Getting dressed and acting as though I’m “going to work” is so key!
Seriously. Pajamas are cool and all but I need to be dressed to really feel like a “boss”, lol.
Absolutely magnificent! I really needed this post! I find been productive at home more and more difficult with time. I need to make time to read a book chapter each day! Thanks so much for sharing this post! Much needed!
Andrea, I’m so glad you found it useful. I think we all need a little nudge back to good habits every now and again!
So the two things I’ve done recently that you’re absolutely right about is 1. Setting up a home office and 2. Started (though I’m kinda bad at it) meditating.
These two things help so much! I still need to add reading one chapter a month! Sweet post :)
Hey there Vivian, the thing with meditation (for me anyway) is some days I get so clear and other days anxiety prevents me from really settling. But, the key is to stick with it, even on your bad days. It really does help!
I loved this article. My fave tip that really works for me is to chunk things into blocks of time. For example: when I work from home, I will blog for a bit, do web design, then go for a short workout or run before getting back. Alternating between sitting activities and motion helps keep me in focus at each task :)
Hi Yasmine! Do you use a timer or alarm?