It’s a strange thing to find oneself at home interminably, when so much of your life has been at your job. If you live alone, all of a sudden everything is very quiet and still. If you have kids, it’s the opposite. And, if your home has become your work place, it is all the stranger. To do work in the place you rest feels unnatural, and terribly distracting. Yet this is where most of us have found ourselves this past week:
Working from home.
As I decided to pursue writing and life coaching a few years ago, this reality has been mine a little bit longer. But as you’re probably already finding out, the transition isn’t always an easy one. Spending time with your family members who are also home, watching TV, or scrolling your socials become all that more tempting. At times it will feel that our biggest challenge is:
How do you stay motivated when it seems the whole world has shut down?
But honestly, this isn’t our biggest problem. Our main concern when working from home, is structure. For most of our lives, structure has been something that has been decided for us—by our parents, our schools, and our jobs. Only now that our jobs have moved into our homes, there is no one to build the structure, but ourselves. For many of us, our motivation is how much our job demands we produce in a week, which could be dangerous for those of us who are procrastination gurus.
Our main concern when working from home, is structure.
That is why, today I want to share with you some tips to working from home. Tips that I have found help me be less distracted and more productive. We don’t know how long many of us will be housebound, but we can make the most of each day.
Create a Routine that works for you.
Working from home may significantly change your day to day for the next few weeks. For example, if you are used to a long commute, you now have extra time on your hands. Or, you and your partner may have to switch off your working schedules, to watch the kids. Whatever your situation, a few good questions to ask are: When do I have the most energy and focus each day? What hours do I need to be available by phone? Schedule your work time around your answers to those two questions, and then schedule lunch, exercise, and breaks accordingly.
Create a workspace to best fit your work needs.
Do you work better sitting or standing? Do you need quiet, music, or are you fine working at the kitchen table while your kids color? I realize most of us will not have the perfect set-up, but this doesn’t mean we can’t come up with something that works. When I first started writing, I realized I worked better standing—but I didn’t have a standing desk, so I “built” one. I put two file boxes on top of our dining room table, then laid a board across them and put my laptop on top. I was amazed at how that simple change made a big difference in my productivity. Get creative, and to the best of your ability create a space for your working style and needs.
Eat your meals at your regular times.
By scheduling your meals at the times you would normally eat them, you are keeping a familiar structure for your body. This means, your energy levels won’t fluctuate more than normal from day to day. Also, planned meal times help break up the day in a way that will help you focus better during designated work times.
Go for a walk or open the windows when you can.
Getting fresh air actually boosts our immune system. Not only that but being outside makes us happier and feel more relaxed. And in a season where our world is facing a pandemic like we’ve never seen, we need fresh air more than ever. If you’re not quarantined, go for a short walk once or twice a day. And if the weather is nice where you are, open the windows—let the fresh air and sunshine energize you as you work.
FaceTime/Skype even if you don’t need to.
Working from home can get lonely. Before our current situation, I regularly planned work or coffee dates with friends for some human interaction and to get out of the house. But, as that is looking less likely, take advantage of technology and connect virtually as much as possible. Have lunch with your co-worker friends over FaceTime. Plan a virtual coffee date in the afternoons. Don’t allow yourself to get isolated, instead make connecting with people a priority.
Have you ever worked from home before?
What are you learning from your current situation?
Often, before we create, we need to clear some space for ourselves—not just physically, but mentally too. Sign up for my email list, and get my Five Ways to Declutter Your Mind resource. In it I share five ways to cut through the noise in your life, to find more peace and clarity.
