Top Tips for Working From Home

I love my job. I’ll tell you that over and over again because it’s true. I absolutely love my job. As with all jobs, it doesn’t come without it’s struggles or challenging days, but at the end of the day, it’s all worth it and I love job, my company and the way I get to spend my life.

But this isn’t strictly a post about how blessed I am to have a job I love, because like I said, it doesn’t come without it’s struggles. One of which is working from home.

Now, I’m not going to tell you that working from home doesn’t come without it’s blessings. I understand that yes, if I wanted to I could spend my day working in my pajamas. Yes, I can throw in a load of laundry on a Tuesday at 11am. And yes, I can spend my Friday morning sitting at the Volkswagen dealership working on my laptop while my car undergoes it’s 40,000 mile check up.

But…BUT…this doesn’t mean working from home is all shits and giggles either. I don’t have any coworkers nearby for a little social time. In fact, sometimes it can get down right lonely. I don’t have a separate place that’s deemed “work” so home means work and that can be 24/7. And if I’m sick, I don’t really feel like I can just take a “sick” day.

And let’s just get this out there, we know I’m not a fan of the “at least you work from home so you can….” statements.  Unless you want an evil glare or my foot somewhere the sun don’t shine, it’s probably not an advisable comment to make.

And while I’ve been doing this for a few months now, I’m no expert and with each day, I’m learning what works best for me and my productivity, but I figured I’d give you some of my best tips for working from home. Whether you’re in my shoes or know someone who is, I hope this helps you make the adjustment to working from home just a bit easier.

1 – Get in a routine (or two) 

Just as you get in a routine for a job where you don’t work from home, it’s just as important to get in a routine when you work from home – maybe more so! This might take a little trial and error, but figure out what works for you. For some that means waking up early to get in your workout before you start working and for some that may mean working out over lunch or at the end of your day (just like you would with an office job). I change things up depending on what the rest of my day looks like but also to keep things interesting.

2 – Get dressed, shower, etc

It’s easy to roll out of bed and start working while you’re still in your pajamas. It’s just as easy to then spend your entire day IN your pajamas, but as an extension of getting in a routine, I find it just as important to get dressed, shower and put a little make up on my face. Plus, it means you’re ready for any video meetings that may pop up during your day.

3 – Set up your workspace

Have a space that you can work (even if you change your location) and aside from making sure it has the “basics,” make sure it’s a place you WANT to be. For me this means a comfortable chair, fun lighting, and a window that I can look out once and awhile. Set the space for yourself.

4 – Change locations

While I have my desk all set up, I do change locations. Sometimes this means moving to my living room to sit on the couch, standing at the kitchen counter or sitting at the dining room table but other times this means heading to Starbucks or my local coffee shop. This helps me not feel like I’m cooped up in my house 24/7 and ultimately helps with my productivity.

5 – Get up and move

This is important whether you work from home or not but I find I have a harder time with this while I’m working from home. It’s so easy to just stare at your computer only getting up for the bathroom or food, but it’s important to take breaks. So whether you get up and run up/down the stairs, take a sudoku break or just go out to get the mail, make sure you’re giving yourself a break and getting up from your chair!

Do you work from home?

What tips would you add to my list?