I’ve worked in the 9-5 world for over twenty plus years and anytime anyone mentioned working from home everyone would respond “My dream come true”. Well I have been working from home full time for over seven years now and I will tell you, it’s not what people think it is and I usually work late into the night to compensate for my million interruptions at home during the day, as you can see it takes discipline and focus.
I will share some working from home tips from my personal journey:
1) Don’t stay in your pajamas or at least only pick one day per week to stay in your pajamas. It’s like dress down day at work once a week. I would stay away from doing it on a Monday and perhaps doing it on a Friday instead. As it’s been known that dressing the part helps you be mentally in work mode.
2) Don’t work from the couch or your bed, it’s not healthy for your posture and again it doesn’t mentally prepare you. Find a designated spot, plus if you live with others then they know and can respect the work zone area. If you designate a spot then once you sit there you know it means business. Plus family distractions are another big one. Let your family know that you are working and unless it’s an emergency you should not be interrupted, establish boundaries.
3) Daylight and a good chair are necessities for me. My whole attitude changes around light or a window and I feel ready and alive. Also investing in a decent chair is a good idea and many places can deliver directly to your home. If you work for a company find out if they will reimburse you.
4) Designate breaks and lunchtimes even if you are self-employed. It helps create a bit of structure. Plus we need to get up and move around breaks so our bodies don’t pay the price. Stretch, drink a glass of water, have a healthy snack. Also make any personal calls during your break time and not during your work time.
5) Setting up weekly or daily goals helps you stay on track and focused. If you work for someone else they may already be tracking this but if you are self-employed it will be your job to track your daily or weekly goals.
6) You are being paid to work and not to be surfing the net? This is why many employers block access to social media or the internet during the day. If you find yourself popping into social media during work hours you will need to stop. Keep in mind you should be grateful for the job that you have and also don’t forget someone is paying you to work from the comfort of your home.
Rosa Julia Parra
