With the Covid19 virus in full swing, more and more people are choosing to work from home. When you are new to working from home, you realize fairly quickly that it's not all chocolates and roses. If you are disorganized with your time, your work from home career can go from good to bad in a matter of seconds. Being able to work from home does not mean you have 8 hours a day free to do what you please. It also does not mean you have your family's undivided attention and can run errands for them whenever they need you to. This is a job and working is a must. The only thing that has changed is where you are working.
I have been working from home part and full time for more than 10 years now. I know it's a dream for many people and a great one to have. I love working from home because there are so many great advantages to doing so.
For one, I'm no longer driving to work. I don't have to worry about the weather or getting dressed and getting out in the cold. I'm saving gas, helping the environment, and saving money.
Yet, there are some things you should keep in mind if you are planning to work from home or already are.
When I first started working from home I had a hard time getting anything accomplished. I have ADHD and at that time I hadn't been diagnosed with it. I was holding myself back and eventually came to realize that. Working from home doesn't mean you get to relax. You still have to bring in money and you have a job to do to accomplish that task. How else are you planning to pay the bills? Put food on your family's table? Yes, it's nice not having to drive to work or get dressed every day, or having to report to a boss, but you have to work to be able to continue enjoying those little luxuries.
When you are working from home you need to be as productive as possible and still maintain that balance between work and life.
To begin with, you will want to set work hours for yourself. This may seem like a silly idea because you are your own boss, but having a specific set of work hours will allow you to manage your time better. Make sure that you give yourself a start time, a lunch break, and an end time.
For me, I usually start my workday as soon as my family has left for work and school. I'll find myself at the living room coffee table or lounging in my bedroom, but I'm still working.
I also make sure that I get a workout in with my home gym every day. I usually try to work out closer to the afternoon after I've been sitting for a bit and my energy levels have started to drop. I love the boost it gives me. It's also a great way to recharge mentally!
While I do utilize my living room television to help me power through my workout sometimes, I don't keep it on when I'm trying to work or surf social media as much as I once did.
When you are working from home, you don't have that co-worker watching your every move or the boss telling you to get back to work. If television or social media is a distraction you can't ignore while working, try downloading an app that will help you minimize your screen time.
When you have survived through the first half of your workday, make a lunch date with a friend. Just because you are working from home does not mean you have to or should cut yourself off from your friends. Give yourself a social break!
Don't however, use your lunch break or your work hours to run errands for other people. I had a very bad habit of doing just that and sometimes still do. Some people really do believe that when you work from home you don't actually do a darn thing all day long! They think it's okay to ask for favors because you have all of that extra time since you work from home. While it's okay to run an errand for someone once in a while, don't fall for the, "You're not really doing anything today, so can you, or I need you to…" every time you know you are busy. Just remember, if you are always running errands, how are you making money?
Also, don't avoid taking breaks when you know you need one. I've been known to take a quick 1-minute break every 15 minutes or a 5-minute break every time I accomplished my goal, and believe me I have been lectured about doing so. As long as you are getting your work done, there is no reason you cannot take a small break or a right or wrong way of doing so.
Breaks are not the only issue we may have to defend when working from home. It's a sad shame, but just as those who want you to run errands for them because you work from home, there will be others who do not understand what working from home really means.
Set boundaries. That my friends is the biggest game-changer. When I told a family member that I was working from home with set hours, they still came by every day. Even after I would tell them to come by after a certain time, they still refused to listen. It wasn't until I refused to answer the door until after my workday had ended that they finally started to understand I work from home and I'm not available all day long.
But, most importantly don't forget to have a little fun on your new work from home adventure. Plan that unexpected trip to the park with your kids, take the weekend off and spend a romantic date night with the love of your life. Have fun, just don't forget that working from home is a job too!
