You did it! You quit the 9-5 job that wasn’t setting your soul on fire, & went for the job that does. Now you’re in control of your schedule, your to-do list, & the sky is the limit! Although you have a problem; your new responsibilities are a little overwhelming. Whether you have been working from home for a month or 10 years, we can all feel this way sometimes. Luckily, I’ve got 10 tips for you on how to work from home- & kill it!
#1 Set your alarm (& actually listen to it)
If you’re one of those 5am people, you’ve got this. Go to #2. If you’re not, you may want to continue reading. Here’s the deal with working from home; you actually have to work. If you keep hitting snooze, that work is going to get a whole lot more stressful & stack up on you. Deadlines are still approaching, whether you feel like working at the moment or not. The beauty of controlling your schedule is waking up when you want. So actually wake up when you want, not when you FEEL like it (there’s a difference). Trust me, you’ll feel better about yourself if you do.
#2 Don’t start the day with social media
AHAH! That little twinge of guilt just hit you, huh? Same here to be honest. We’re all sometimes guilty of starting off our morning in bed on Instagram, unknowingly setting the tone of the day. Instead of waking up & taking in everyone else’s energy, get out of bed & create your own! Your mindset & mood will be so much clearer.
#3 Get dressed. In real clothes.
Yes, bunny slippers ARE more comfortable. However, I highly doubt you’ve been hired to sit inside & binge watch a show for hours. Again with the mindset, you’ve gotta start right! I’ve heard it said before to “dress for the job you want”. Don’t you want a job that makes you some money & dresses you good?? Precisely why you should put on those new fancy shoes you just got. You’ll feel like you can take on your day with confidence!
#4 Plan out your day…last night!
Take it from a girl who knows; this is not my strength. If you wake up & try to put together your to-do list, you will magically not want to get everything done that needs to be done. Now if you have been in front of your work all day & seen what is needed up close, you will be much better suited to know what needs to be on tomorrow’s list & should proceed to write it down. Do this, & avoid sitting in front of the computer doing things while not actually doing anything at all.
#5 Have a designated work space
I will say this once. Your couch does NOT count. If you go to the same place where you eat, hang out, & relax, you are going to end up eating, hanging out, & relaxing. Get outta there! Buy a desk, decorate it to inspire you, & bust out your spotify playlists.
#6 Set your boundaries
“What do you mean you can’t come? You work from home!” Been there? Then that means you haven’t placed intentions & boundaries. Make it clear in a nice way to friends & family that working from home is still a job, & one that needs to be a priority. If it helps, you can set a cut-off time so everyone knows you can’t go see a movie until after 5. They mean well, but aren’t going to know unless you tell them!
#7 Break down the job
The big things that need to be done are often the ones that are pushed to the side. Why? Because they’re scary! This is why you need to break it down. Write out what the job is, the step by step way to complete it, & at what date//time you are going to get it done! Voila, you’ve checked another box. It doesn’t sound like much, until you see how drastic the difference is in your workflow.
#8 Time blocks- a godsend!
You could kind of tack this one to #4. Open your planner, & designate amounts of time for jobs to be done. Give yourself x hours to be productive, & that same amount of time for your break! Space these out throughout your day, & before you know it you’ve checked off all your tasks while taking multiple breaks! Good job, you’re a superhero.
#9 Put the phone down.
You know that feeling when you’re in the zone? Working fast, hard, & confident. WHY WOULD YOU BREAK THAT UP?? Social media will be there when you are done working, but the time spent won’t be. If that’s too long to wait, set a time block for a phone break. Instead of wasting time try making time. If you know you might go through withdrawals put it in another room, turn on ‘do not disturb’, or ask someone to hide it. You’ve got this!!
#10 Change of scenery
I truly don’t know what I would do without coffee shops. Going to that place that gets the mind going & surrounds you with others working hard is so motivating! If you’re sick of staring at your wall, grab your keys & find that special corner of the world that gets you pumped to get things done. If you aren’t a coffee fanatic, try a local library, café, or even a study area at a university. There’s always somewhere.
