I read a post on Facebook this week – someone who had just worked out she hadn’t left her house for five days because she ‘works from home’. Has this ever happened to you?
Working from home – as your place of business or regularly / occasionally for work – can be a challenge. Here are 7 tips to keep you productive and sane!
1. Create routines. Have a start and finish time, set a schedule for your day based on your goals.
Start by ‘eating the frog’ (the hardest thing on your list). Use a timer to get things done in a time appropriate way. Don’t spend two hours finding the perfect font (are you reading this Kat?).
Make sure you also have set breaks – I really look forward to my morning tea/coffee but I also make sure I have achieved what I had set-out to before doing so. Take your break outside your work zone ideally go outside and enjoy some desk yoga moves when you come back to work.
2. Have a designated working area.
Ideally it’s an office with a door that you can close on your household chores. But if that’s not possible try and use the same area. Find a nook and make it yours. Tidy at the end of every day setting you up for the next work day. Make a point of ‘arriving’ to work (as above) and leaving and it will help you differentiate home vs work time.
3. Dress for the job.
As much as I am a fan of Pyjamas – it always feels better when you get dressed for the day ahead. It helps keep you in the right frame of mind and for the possible Skype call you know will come if you stay in your pj’s. I have a client who pops on a tiara when she needs cheering up and keeps going!
4. Ignore your energy vampires.
We all know them – those things that suck us dry and give nothing in return. Whether they be people (phone calls, drop-ins), or activities (social media) – do not waste your time with them – you are working. End of story.
5. Don’t become a hermit
As good as it is to work from home – face to face communication is important to all us social creatures. If you’re working from home all day, every day, for an extended period of time, it’s important to get out and interact with other businesses or your colleagues.
6. Celebrate success
If you’re working home alone you can forget to celebrate success! From small wins – like finishing all of your tasks on your ‘to do list’ to getting a new client / sale. Find ways to share your success – on-line forums, social media etc. and rewards yourself – a walk outside, some nice music.
7. Make the most of it.
While all the points above will help you create good work habits, at the end of the day working from home has some nice benefits. You can plan your day around chores if you like and your week around doing something nice. Just don’t let these become a form of procrastination with what you need to get done.
What’s your top tip to succeed at working from home?
