So many people right now have been ordered to work from home for the next few weeks. Since going to work for myself a couple of years ago, it took me a while to get into the groove of things and find a schedule that actually allowed me to work productively and NOT into all hours of the night. One of the things that I wanted to make sure that didn’t happen was that I didn’t want to be working all sorts of random hours. So, here are a few things that might help you get work done from home even if you have kids sharing the same space with you.
Start with a morning routine and continue
I used to fight tooth and nail over a morning routine, but once I started working from home, I knew it was what I needed to start the day motivated and end the day feeling accomplished. I’ll go into more detail in next weeks post, which I’ll detail out what my specific routine is but, having one that includes getting dressed every morning (Yup, that means no pajamas past a certain time) sets the pace for the day, and separates the weekdays from the weekend (where I have no problem staying in my PJ’s).
Continuing after the morning routine and having my day cut into blocks of time or chunks of time helps with not only keeping me stay focus on a certain type of task (ie answering emails, meeting with remote co-workers ect) but it helps make the day go faster. Sitting in front of a desk with no one around you can feel like the longest day ever so taking breaks after the chunks of time gives me something to look forward to.
I usually end my day at a certain time (4 pm to be exact). BUT, sometimes I know that I will have interruptions (having to take the kids somewhere or a later meeting) so I usually can determine at the beginning of the day if the end of the day will be a time or a task. If I know that I have to get the kids I will make sure that I finish whatever I’m working on and I make that a mandatory thing before I sign off for the day. Not only does that motivate me to finish things, but it also helps with the following day so I’m not starting by doing something that should have been finished the day before.
Have a designated workspace
When I first started working from home, I worked wherever I could. Sometimes on the couch, sometimes in the office, sometimes at the dining room table. But, it was hard to focus and honestly, it didn’t really feel like I NEEDED to get work done. So, Sean and I reconfigured our office that he was currently working in and created 2 workstations (check out the final space here). Now, a lot of people A. Don’t have a room to designate as an office or B. Don’t want to rearrange a room for a temporary endeavor.
So, if that is the case, I would say create a space that feels like a workspace. Whether its a dining table that can function like an office or a small desk in an area of your house. being able to go to a specific spot every day to get work done not only helps signal that it’s work but you also don’t have to put your things away every day. I like to make my workspace as comfortable and homey as possible, that way when I DO get distracted, at least I have calming things around me and some visual interest (bring on. the pretty pictures, good-smelling candles and fun office supplies). I also keep my water nearby and all the necessary office supplies. that way I don’t’ have to keep interrupting my day and my train of thought chasing things or items down.
Have a support system
Working from home can be lonely and isolating. Period. And when you don’t have a group of people that you are seeing on a regular basis it’s easy to feel out of the loop. I quickly realized that one of the best things about working a 9-5 was having a group that I loved talking to on a daily basis and I missed that so badly. So, in its place, I set up monthly lunch dates with some of those old co-workers, but also friends that I had known before I started working full-time but didn’t see them on a regular basis.
These days, with some of the restrictions from the coronavirus, you can’t set up those in-person meetings, but you can set up a weekly call to a friend. When I did it over my designated lunchtime, I didn’t feel like it was stealing from my workday because I needed the break anyway. I also drive a lot for what I do, so as soon as I knew that I would be in the car for more than 20 minutes I would hop on a call and touch base with someone. It really helps reconnect you to the outside world and making contact with others in the same line of work also helps with problem-solving.
Use necessary distractions if needed
On days that my husband isn’t working from home or the kids are gone sometimes it gets SO quiet, unerringly quiet and that causes my mind to wander! So, I have a few music playlists that I use when designing that helps keep me focused. I also have a bunch of podcast subscriptions, here are my favorite business ones. Also, when the day gets extra long and extra quiet, I’ll throw on the TV (or Netflix on my phone). I won’t sit and watch it, BUT, having people talking in the background is comforting, less lonely and I actually focus more because I have to sift through the noise. I know, call me crazy but it works!!
Take Breaks with necessary
When I first started working from home I tried working straight through the day with no breaks because I liked the thought of getting done faster. BUT, it backfired. By the end of the day, I was exhausted and the day felt so hard and long. By taking breaks, even if that meant a 20-minute lunch at the dining table or outside, did wonders for me. So take breaks friends!!
Set boundaries
One last thing – set some working boundaries. I try and keep all things “extra”, talking on the phone, meeting up with friends ect during normal break times or after work. Also, stop working after a “normal”-for-you-day. That means, for me, I don’t work longer than 8 hours unless I have a need to. I was finding that I was getting burned out because I didn’t impose a finish time for the day and I had my laptop on after dinner, before breakfast ect. Now, I have strict work hours and I rarely work on the weekends. This might not work for you but create some boundaries for yourself that do. That way, you’ll be able to get through this without getting burnt out, but still being productive.
To close this out I thought I would share one of my design playlists with you. Enjoy!
