6 TIPS FOR WORKING FROM HOME

1. Create a Morning Routine

Deciding you’ll sit down at your desk and start work at a certain time is one thing. Creating a routine that guides you into the chair is another. What in your morning routine indicates you’re about to start work? It might be making a cup of coffee. It might be returning home after a jog. It might be getting dressed (wearing pajama pants to work is a perk for some, but a bad strategy for others). A routine can be more powerful than a clock at helping you get started each day.

2. Keep Clearly Defined Working Hours

Set a schedule, and stick to it…most of the time. Having clear guidelines for when to work and when to call it a day will help you maintain a work-life balance. Just as you designate and separate your physical workspace, you should be clear about when you’re working and when you’re not. You’ll get your best work done and be most ready to transition back to the office if you stick with your regular hours.

3. Set Ground Rules with the People in Your Space

Set ground rules with other people in your home . If you have children, they need clear rules about what they can and cannot do during that time. 

4. Designate a Workspace or Home Office

Your workspace doesn’t have to be its own room, but it should feel as separate from the rest of your home as possible.

Try to make your workspace comfortable with a chair you can sit in for eight hours a day and a few decorations. Find an area with good natural lighting if at all possible. Entering your workspace will help you turn “on” at the beginning of the day and get down to work. On the flipside, leaving your workspace will also help you turn “off” at the end of the day and fully disengage.

5. Schedule Breaks

Give yourself adequate time during the day to walk away from the computer screen and phone. A lunch hour and two 15-minute breaks could be an idea you can start with.

6. Don’t Get Too Sucked in by the News—or Social Media

Distraction is one of the big challenges facing people who work from home—especially people who aren’t used to it. You need to be wary of how much you let yourself get distracted.

You probably already take a few breaks throughout the day at the office, and that’s fine to do at home, too. Using that time to throw in a load of laundry is OK, but try not to look at your new work arrangement as an opportunity to finally clean out that closet or anything else that takes a lot of sustained focus.  

In addition, one of the biggest distractions is social media – mindlessly scrolling on the phone or computer is something that many people struggle with. You can set timers for any breaks you take. Social media can be a productivity killer.

Try these 6 Tips to make working from home a success!