Working from home is often looked at as the “holy grail”. No more boss breathing down your neck, no more long commute, no more annoying co-workers.
However, for those new to working from home it can also have its drawbacks…
Loneliness & a feeling of isolation.
Little or no mental stimulation.
Lethargy & a lack of energy.
Difficulty focussing.
The list goes on.
If you’re new to working from home, you are not alone. Dealing with these issues may seem a bit daunting, but don’t worry - we’ve got you covered.
What follows is a collection of wisdom from real people who are “old pros” at working from home.
Want to have more focus, more energy, get more done, and enjoy your time working from home?
Then read on.
How to Set Reasonable Expectations to Keep Yourself Sane
“Duct tape at this point... Just kidding.
Managing homeschool, online classes for myself and working from home has been quite a transition, but setting clear and reasonable expectations for the day is very important.
Instead of getting frustrated that everything wasn’t accomplished, I’ve gone back to making an old fashioned pen and paper list with times/deadlines for myself and kids. If it doesn’t fit in today it goes on tomorrow’s priority list.
Don’t stress.
Open the windows and doors, getcha some tea, pour a lil' whiskey in it, and love this moment.”
Amy Nichols is a freelance digital marketing specialist. You got to check out her work HERE!
Why Scheduling is So Vital to Success at Home
“Scheduling out your day is critical.
I have children, including a 4 month old, so you need to give yourself grace if that schedule goes nothing like you originally set up.
Always have prioritized tasks, and use a system so you can tackle the longer projects earlier in the day, and know which ones take (at most) ten minutes to complete.
Schedule yourself to have breaks and different activities throughout the day if possible. This actually helps with productivity, rather than hinders it.
Plan for the projects that need more concentration time around kid nap times (meaning they need a good schedule as well).
Don’t forget to take breaks!
Coffee break, lunch break, etc. And don’t forget to add in kid time! It helps to hang up a visual schedule so kids know when you are and are not available. Using a red or green light or color visuals next to a picture or written schedule helps them know if they can interrupt you or not. Same goes for husbands :-)”
Rachel Pope offers applied behavior analysis through early intervention services, social skills groups, and community/in-home therapy. Learn more HERE
"Having a schedule opens the door to so many different things! With a schedule you will be sure to have the time you need to actually accomplish your goals for the day.
Without a schedule, your day is apt to slip away before you know it. This usually leads to a lot of frustration that is easily avoidable if you take control before your day even starts!
I like to write out my goals the evening before in my day planner. Helps keep me on track & get stuff done!"
Abigail Smith is a certified health & life coach. She works to empower women to achieve optimal spiritual, emotional, and physical health. See how she does it - TheSummerMorning.com
How to Communicate with Your New “Coworkers”
“So my husband has always worked from home, and I just started working from home a couple months ago (which is hard living in a tiny bungalow in town).
Now that leaving the house is not an option for me, we do something to signal each other, and this is a good piece of work from home advice if you have to also cohabitate with others while working from home.
My husband has a work headset, and when I make calls I always use my earphones. We decided that if the other person has their headset or earphones in, we aren’t not to start a conversation with them.
Now we may actually be on the phone, or it may just be a signal that I need to concentrate and focus right now, so if you can choose another time to vacuum, that would be great (lol).
It’s an easy way to minimize distraction and respect the other person’s work time without saying “Hey I’m about to get on a call, can we wait to start laundry”.
I noticed if I go downstairs to his workspace it’s now almost a habit that if I’m allowed to talk to him he just reaches up and the headset comes off.”
Audra Botkin
How to Have Other People Do Your Work for You (& Free Up Some Headspace at the Same Time!)
“Give your kids some of your work to do. Not everything we do is worthy of review by rocket scientists. Pay them too. Involving them makes it easier to keep momentum going if you have kids under your feet which most of us do.”
Matt LaClear’s SEO agency does the hard work for you so that your business can be found organically. Check out his magic here - yourseosquad.com
Need to Ship for Your Business from Your Home? Try This
“USPS “Click & Ship” stores my customers addresses so I can create fast shipping labels from home. I arrange for our mailman to pick up the packages so I don't have to leave my house.
It really is wonderful, especially during this Quarantine period. I ship everyone's soap order that way now. I think the mail person prefers it too. Less people at the post office.”
Cassie Lockwood runs 3hfarmstx, a small farm doing big things. Known by many as the Goat Milk Soap Lady, Cassie creates products you feel good about using. Learn more HERE.
Caffeine...Seriously - It Will Help
“Cuban coffee = ultimate productivity hack.”
Sergio Aicardi
“I’m a big fan of bulletproof coffee. My recipe is usually:
Coffee (16 oz.)
Coconut oil (2 heaping tablespoons)
Butter (1.5 ounces)
Milk (¼ cup)
Tastes delicious & helps keep me full throughout the morning.”
Brady Smith rescues businesses from ugly websites. If you need help improving your online presence or creating effective content, check out invicta.enterprises
Tech Tip - Easy Prioritization with Trello
“I have to prioritize my time and create a schedule.
This is week two of homeschool and assignments are no longer optional. So it was nice to set a routine last week and work out the kinks.
I also have found Trello boards for each kids’ school work and housework have been valuable to make sure we get everything done we are supposed to each day.
Misty Henderson helps businesses build brands that WORK. You can check out more of her work here - mistyandersondesigns.com
Upgrade Your Workstation with This Simple Hack
“Hooked my laptop up with a HDMI cable to the TV in the living room. Nobody bothers me and they all stay in other rooms.”
TJ Thompson is a real estate agent and mentor. With years of experience, he specializes in helping his clients market or purchase property in today’s rural real estate market. Learn More
A slightly more involved workstation upgrade is to consider getting away from the traditional office chair and desk…
“I’ve been working from a standing desk for several years now & I love it. I have more energy everyday, it helps a ton with posture, and it helps force you to take breaks here and there since you do get tired of standing after enough time!
If you don’t feel like you can afford a standing desk, a couple of boxes or a stack of books on top of your existing desk will do the trick in a pinch!”
Brady Smith rescues businesses from ugly websites. If you need help improving your online presence or creating effective content, check out invicta.enterprises
How to Fit in Meaningful Breaks
We loved this one! It’s so important for your health and mindset to take regular breaks. Here’s what to do and how to make sure it happens:
“Set a timer - no more than 3 hours - to make sure you get up, walk outside, around the house, and then go back to doing whatever it was before the break...AND breathe through your frustration or anxiety.”
Hollie Donner
“Lots and lots of walks. Talking while walking as much as possible.”
Heather Vickery - Ready to take bold, courageous action? Heather is a success coach working at the intersection of life & business. Find out more - vickeryandco.com
“Work in two hour spurts timed by the Brain.fm app. Then get up and move around for 15 minutes. Keeps your mind sharp and makes your work more productive.”
Matt LaClear’s SEO agency does the hard work for you so that your business can be found organically. Check out his magic here - yourseosquad.com
Easy Ways to Take Care of Your Eyes
Your eyes are pretty important! Take good care of them & they will take good care of you.
“I like to use something like the Pomodoro app or a similar timer. It’ll cover up your screen when it is time for a break. Your eyes need it!
When I’m on a break, I find one thing that helps a ton is to vary the distance of my gaze. In other words, you’ve been looking at something close for awhile (your computer most likely) so take some time to look at something far away.
Another big thing is to limit your blue light exposure. You can do this with blue light blocking glasses or most computers have a “nightlight” setting of some sort that will increase red light and reduce blue light.
This helps a lot but your eyes also need natural light. A walk outside or just some time looking out the window can help a lot to reduce strain and keep you feeling good.”
Brady Smith rescues businesses from ugly websites. If you need help improving your online presence or creating effective content, check out invicta.enterprises
Change It Up - How Adding Variety Will Improve Your Mood
“I work at different spots in the house - office for Zoom calls, writing in the living room, schedule planning at the kitchen table. I mix it up depending on my mood, but it helps create different perspectives for me.”
Tammi Moses has written quite a bit on the subject of working from home. Check out her article "HELP! I'm Working Remotely-Now What?" as well as "Ways to Connect from the Safety & Comfort of Your Home or Office"
Why Taking Time for Health Will Keep You Going Longer
“Watch your diet and your Vitamin D levels. Working from home is fun and easy to do for long stretches at a time. But a year can become two decades in a blink of an eye.
So get healthy habits and diet into your pattern quickly once you start working from home.”
Matt LaClear’s SEO agency does the hard work for you so that your business can be found organically. Check out his magic here - yourseosquad.com
Use this Time to Check Your Priorities
With more time at home, make sure you carve out space to do some real thinking. Try using the "rocking chair" method - when you're looking back near the end of your life from your rocking chair, what do you want to see?
"Make sure what you are doing is more than just a passing phase. Figure out if it's something that you still want to do 5 years from now."
More Quick Tips for Working from Home
-Make sure you have a comfortable chair
-Take frequent breaks
-Get up and walk around
-Use a top 3 tasks checklist (you can do other tasks but make sure you get the top 3 though to feel sense of accomplishment each day)
-Have a stopping time
-Maintain some form of exercise
-Using some of the above, stick to a daily routine
Geoff Skadra is the man behind Focus First where he helps small businesses create more focus and improve operations to scale up faster without feeling overwhelmed. Learn More
Want even more awesome work from home tips? Be sure to check out the most recent episode from Blare Radio where host James Shannon interviews Lucas Root on how to thrive while working from home!
Looking for something more on the lighthearted side to make you laugh right now? Then you need to check out the Brad Johnson Show! It's a podcast that...well, you really have to listen to see... Listen to the Brad Johnson Show
If you need some entertainment for your kids (that you will love too!), you should check out Another World Audiobooks. It's a podcast that has free serialized audiobooks of all the classics. Enjoy Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Pride and Prejudice, and many more! Right now, you can get a free full audiobook HERE!
Podcasts are another great way to pass the time! Check out our list of the best podcasts to binge!
I hope this really helps you as you adjust to this new work environment!
Do you have some work from home advice you’d like to share? Make sure to comment below & I’ll add it to the list (and give you a shoutout!:)