5 Tips for Working from Home
Working from home can be a blessing and a curse. We romanticize the idea of being in the comfort of our home, cuddled on the couch with a blanket, our laptop, and a cup of coffee at arm’s reach ready to take on the day… then reality sets in. Maybe your eyes are heavy from little sleep the night before, or the soft sunlight streaming in the window is too relaxing. However, the saved time from a long commute, not feeling stressed in stop-and-go traffic and being able to focus on the task at hand without distractions from coworkers can be a huge benefit.
While some of us have been working from home pre-pandemic, some of us are still new to it. I want to share a few easy tips to help you with working from home.
1. Be Ready
It can be tempting to lounge (or work) in your pajamas all day when you are at home, but is that a good approach to a work-from-home routine?
This article on Today highlights reasons why you should and shouldn’t get dressed up for your day of work at home.
If you know you have meetings and a fresh face of makeup and wearing your favorite blouse will give you the motivation to speak confidently and own the meeting – do it. Get up and get ready.
On a day you will not be visually interacting with clients it may make sense to save yourself the time it takes to get completely ready and dive into work a little deeper with that time. For me, I do a hybrid of getting ready and wearing my comfy clothes around the house. Some days when I need the extra hmph I will get dressed up, style my hair and put on a pair of earrings. Other days when I know my workload is heavier I may skip the additional prep time and just go straight to work in my comfy clothes, messy bun and naked face.
2. Be Active
Sitting at a desk all day, or the couch, can be tiresome. Getting up and moving around will give your body an easy refresh and loosen those tight muscles from working so hard. If our body gets stiff and uncomfortable, we are likely to get less accomplished than if we were feeling great. Taking care of yourself and your body allows you to get more done.
3. Stick to a Schedule
Routine can be a huge benefit when working from home. Sometimes the lines blur from home life to work life when the environment we are in does not change, i.e. our house. Some people would even suggest creating work / rest zones, so you have separate spaces for these activities.
Having a schedule and being consistent is a valuable trait when working from home, it allows you to get a rhythm going. Whether you are an early riser, or a night owl, you can find your groove and make it work for you. Consistency is key.
4. Clock Out / Sign Off
Once you sign off from work for the evening, stay signed off! Respect your “off” time as much as you respect your working time. When the lines blur the amount of productivity will start to fade alongside it. Taking time for your home life and being consistent with it will help your working hours be more beneficial and you will knock out your to-do list.
5. Be Intentional
When you are working, work. Be intentional with your time and balancing things thrown at you. This could be piggybacked with Sticking to a schedule, because having a plan in place will help you accomplish more throughout the day. Working from home often means a lot of independent work time and self-directed work. Things can easily run together so it’s important to lay out expectations for yourself and have a plan in place to achieve them.
If you have tips for working from home, leave them in a comment below! Nowadays more of us are finding ourselves at home with our workload than before.
KatyMurray@KatyMurrayPhotography.com
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