Work From Home Tips
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Whether you’re thinking about working from home or are currently working from home, the transition to a new way of work-life can be hard. It took me a while to get used to it and I found that some things just didn’t work for me. Thankfully there are some things that do! Here are my work from home tips.
Make a schedule.
Of your entire day. I’m serious. When I work from home, every hour is blocked with something. Whether that’s actual work, meals, breaks, you name it. Why? Because you need a little bit of structure. If a schedule doesn’t work, try a to-do list! Make sure you don’t just add work to-dos, add things like lunch and break. This will give you something to look forward to. If you have mastered working from home without either of these tools you’re like a superhuman and I am so proud of you. Routine is key. Adjust when you feel like it’s not working. Try one schedule MWF and another TTH. Which one do you like better?
Take breaks.
So your calendar sends you an alert to take a break? Great. Now what? Close your computer. Walk away from it. Do a chore around the house, put some music on and just listen. Watch a show or take a walk. Maybe do a 30-minute at-home-work-out. There are a bunch of quick 30 minute videos on YouTube. But don’t work. Try to schedule your break when you have an hour of no meetings. That way you’re able to enjoy your break and you’re not worried you’re going to miss something. You don’t have to be chained to your computer. I repeat: you do not have to be chained to your computer.
Green Tea in the afternoon.
If you’re feeling tired and you already did a 30-minute workout but you’ve never worked out twice in one day and there’s been a lot of change already so you’re not about to sweat again—try drinking green tea. It’s better than coffee because it gives you a boost but doesn’t keep you up at night. Add two girls count cookies and make it a snack break. You deserve it.
Eat without multitasking.
This is one of the hardest things for me to do but when I do it, I feel loads better and have a way more effective and efficient workday. Eat. Just eat. Don’t turn on Netflix, don’t bring your lunch to your desk and eat while you work, don’t call someone, don’t read, don’t scroll through your phone. Just. Eat. When you do this, you give yourself a moment to breathe and fuel your mind and your body. Think about it this way—when you put gas in your car, you have to turn it off right? Well, then turn off everything else and just eat. Time will slow down and you’ll be reminded of the present moment.
Move around.
I can’t sit still for very long. The best thing I do when I’m working from home is to rotate my work station after I take breaks. Maybe I’ll work at my desk in the morning and move to the dining room table after lunch. I always do a work session on the couch with a candle on. If I’m in the same place all day I lose focus quickly. Break up your work sessions by moving around. Maybe even stand up for one. Don’t overthink it. Set a timer if it helps and when it goes off—grab your computer and move!
Close up shop.
It’s important to stop working. Maybe it’s time for dinner or your evening workout. Plan something to remind you to log off and resume normal home activities. You can finish whatever you’re working on now, tomorrow. Remember that life is about balance and you’re sharing your sacred space with work. Say goodbye to work, you will call back tomorrow.
