I was talking with my sister and brother in law the other night and they are really struggling with working from home. It sounds so nice at first, but can be difficult to manage if you aren’t used to it. I have been working from home for a while now, so I wanted to share some of my biggest tips to work from home without losing your mind!
1. Get Up and Get Ready
Waking up and working in your jammies sounds so great at first. And it is for the first day or two, but you really start to lose your motivation and focus after a while. I always try to wake up, shower and get ready just like I would if I were going to work in an office. It helps me feel more alert ready to start my day.
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2.) Have a designated work space
A home office would be ideal. A place where you can go to focus only on work, but a lot of us don’t have that capability. I live in an apartment and I chose to make an office/desk area in my room. This was where I had the most space and I can go there and shut the door if I need quiet. Again, it can seem very tempting to work from the couch all day, but it will cause distractions and your back will end up very mad at you.
3.) Make a work schedule
I am writing this as a person who does not like to stick to tight schedules, I am a more spontaneous and go with the flow type person. However, if I don’t have some sort of schedule, I go crazy and don’t get things done in time. I make a loose schedule for what days of the week I focus on certain aspects of my job. For example: Mondays – Recipe Development, Tuesdays – Computer Work, Wednesdays – Photoshoots etc…..
I also try to set a ‘work hours’ timeframe. I am 100% a workaholic and can tend to have my computer open 24/7. This is not healthy and I have had to really work on it. It is important to have designated work time, designated family time, exercise time etc. Building a work/life balance is vital to the health and success of your business.
4.) Get out of the House sometimes
I am writing this article in the peak of Coronavirus, so this is not a realistic option for a lot of people, but it is an important part of balancing out working from home in a normal situation. Like I mentioned before, I work in my apartment (3rd floor) and it can feel a bit like a cave sometimes. Setting time aside to get outside and go for a walk or to the gym is so important for my mental health. Sometimes, I even go to a coffee shop or the library to work, just for a change of scenery.
5.) Build Community
Working from home can feel very isolating at times and it is important to build a community of support around you. I have been able to build a wonderful online community of like-minded entrepreneurs that I can rely on for support, encouragement, knowledge, guidance etc. That community has been a vital part of my success and growth, both as a business woman and as a person. I also have an in-person community that I lean on heavily for those very same things. People need relationship and human interaction, make sure that you don’t lose sight of that.
I personally love working from home, it is something I worked very hard for. But I am purposeful in implanting these tips in my own life to stay happy and healthy in this work environment. I hope this helps you too, let me know what other things you do to stay sane when working from home in the comments.
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This is a great overview article and gives me what I need to take action in my business. Thanks!