I’ve been working from home for well over 5 years at this point, and I have figured out a lot of things along the way.
With so many people working from home now (especially when their kids are home too), there are lots of tips floating around out there.
Some are good, and some are not so good, and some of them can be bent to make them more practical.
The truth is there is no perfect work from home formula, but these tips can go a long way to making working from home successful.
What you won’t see here is those hard and fast tips that say “lock yourself in your office from 9 AM to 5 PM” because let’s face it, that doesn’t work, and that won’t make happy workers.
Working From Home Tips for Success
Here are some practical work from home tips to help give yourself a breather, and stay productive even from home.
Set a Flexible Schedule With Make-Up Time
Let’s face it, it is tough to adhere to a schedule sometimes when you are at home with other family members.
If you have to deviate from your schedule for some reason, don’t sweat it.
Put an hour or two in your schedule blocked out to do the things you got interrupted doing when you were supposed to do them they first time.
Keep a running list of these things so you don’t forge them!
The most important part of your schedule is when you start your day. Make sure that is consistent.
Don’t Forget to Eat
Sometimes, we have a tendency to just park ourselves at our desks and work.
It is really easy to lose track of time if you are alone!
Make sure you don’t forget to eat, set a reminder on your phone or calendar for meal times.
It is also a good time to improve your eating habits if you are used to eating your meals out.
One thing I like to do is make more for dinner, so I can have the leftovers the next day for lunch.
Take a Coffee Break
If you were in the office, you would take a coffee break, or another small break. Don’t forget to do this!
Take a walk around your house, and stretch a little bit. You can even try a quick yoga video on YouTube or Peloton, which is now giving a 90 day free trial. I love their desk yoga videos! https://www.onepeloton.com
Don’t Neglect Personal Hygiene
Besides the fact that we are all washing our hands a million times a day right now, don’t forget to take a shower!
A nice shower can be re-energizing, and gives you some good thinking time away from the computer and working.
As for doing your hair and makeup, that one is up to you. Sometimes it is nice to do just to make yourself feel good, but it is also nice to give your hair and skin a break from the normal routine.
Change Out of Your PJs
Change out of your PJs every morning, even if you just change into clean PJs, active wear, or around the house clothes.
Yes, I totally have around the house, working from home clothes. I wouldn’t wear them if I was going out in public, but they are something to change into that is clean and not my normal PJs!
This goes a long way in just making you feel better, especially if you are stuck inside the house.
These are just five simple things that that won’t be difficult to implement, but will make working from home more successful.