Arguably one of the best parts about working online is being able to do it in your pajamas, from home.
Yes it may not be the most conventional work environment but millions of people around the globe are making the shift from the office to the casa and loving almost every second.
As much as working in your trackies, sans makeup and boss free can be the score of a lifetime, there are some bad habits that can lead you to lose your sanity VERY fast if you don’t firmly establish boundaries between your work and home life.
I’ve been working from home for about 3.5 years now and its been a steep learning curve, from both a professional and personal standpoint. I was not only dealing with working from home myself, but having my partner at home with me 24-7 too – an interesting challenge for any relationship, particularly a new one as ours was back then.
So how can you make working from home a success without going completely bonkers? I’ve put together a few points below that I hope will help you…
1) Make clear boundaries between “work” time and “home” time.
This seems like common sense but you’d be surprised how quickly the line can blur when your work is at your fingertips from the comfort of your sofa – at all hours of the day and night.
One major factor many work-from-home’ers find is that as technology becomes more and more a part of our recreational time, its easy to find yourself psuedo working even after you’ve “finished for the day.” It starts off with you just checking your Facebook or chatting online and then suddenly you’re scanning your email inbox, checking your sales reports and before you know it, you’re in fully-fledged work mode.
One great way to keep your boundary between work and home time is to set yourself a computer curfew – and try to stick to it for the majority of the time. When we’re not in full launch mode, Andrew and I try to switch off our computers by 7-8pm and enjoying other non-computer activities for the rest of the night. You’d be surprised how much this increases your productivity when you know you have to get xyz finished by 7pm or it’ll get tagged on to tomorrow’s task list. It also helps you recoup and relax so you’re better prepared for a killer work session the following day.
2) Define a “work space” within your home that isn’t used for any other purpose
Wherever possible, try and define a work space within your home that isn’t used for any other purpose. Having a specific “work” area allows you to get in the zone each time you settle in for a work session. You know you’re there to work and that anything else that’s going on in the house right now is insignificant compared to what you are doing in this moment.
You should especially try and avoid having your desk set up in the bedroom as that can seriously impinge on your ability to completely switch off. Working in the same place where you need to sleep and recouperate can leave you feeling drained and agitated.
3) Take small breaks outside your home frequently
When you work AND relax from home, you can become a hermit very fast without even realising it. One way to ensure that you keep the inspiration juices flowing, avoid getting burned out and get the most out of your work (and free) time is to take frequent breaks outside the home.
Andrew and I like to do coffee dates regularly during the week. Its an activity that doesn’t take much time but allows us to get out of the house, take a short walk in the fresh air, have some face-to-face conversation time and take a break from the computer screen.
You’d be surprised how refreshed you feel after just a short time away from the work zone, and how ready you are to conquer the remaining tasks on your list are a small interval.
4) Keep it tidy
Keeping your workspace, and house in general tidy can do wonders for your productivity and general sanity. The old adage of a cluttered desk equals a cluttered mind couldn’t ring more true than for people who live and work in the same area.
Having a clean and tidy space within which to work will allow you to focus all your concentration and energy on what work you’re doing, as opposed to whats going on around you. Taking half an hour every Sunday night (or Monday morning) to tidy your space and get ready for the week ahead will pay off big time!
Working from home is one of the greatest freedoms us “geeks” get to enjoy, so make sure you do it right!
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2 Comments
Great tips. I have the hardest times with #1 and #3, but my separating work and home is different than you describe. I can get off my computer when I'm done without taking work with me, but I find it difficult sometimes to create the boundary to keep folks out when I'm working.
Hi Chris
Thanks for your comment
That's interesting about the other people being the distraction. I guess I'm lucky that (at the moment at least) its only my partner and I at home, and he's just as busy as I am!
Perhaps this is where you can utilize the location of your work space to your advantage, find somewhere that you can close off from everyone. You can also use the small breaks to give the others in your home the attention they desire, and in return hopefully they can respect your privacy during your work sessions.
Hope that helps
Elysia
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