I spend a lot of time writing posts about different things to help people who work from home, like myself – different websites, products, techniques, etc. But I hardly ever get any tips from my readers, so today I wanted to invite you to share some of your favorite tips that have helped you be successful with working from home. Please feel free to comment below with your favorite tips!
Try and keep a sense of consistency and routine. I just changed jobs and am working from home for the first time ever. It’s been a challenge to keep to a consistent routine, which has kind of thrown me off in other areas of my life as well. So routine is good. I try and keep similar hours to what I was doing before, when I was in an office. And I also try to batch similar tasks together.
Oh, and turn off the tv! That’s been huge for me! I thought I could still get work done even if the tv was going. I mean, I can, but it’s a lot slower and not as great of quality. So mainly for me, just keeping in mind work integrity, even when no one is watching.
Great tips Michelle! I also find that turning the TV off helps when I’m working – it’s actually a necessity when I’m working my day job. I also find that blocking distracting websites helps (see my review of Cold Turkey).
I have been working from home for nearly eight months now, and here are some of the do’s and dont’s that I can think of:
a. Home Office is still an office. The same rules apply: timeliness in getting work done, taking lunch and coffee breaks, catching some fresh air by stepping outside.
b. Get a Standing Desk. Seriously. The temptation to walk into the bedroom with the laptop will reduce significantly.
c. Use distractions as your “forced pomodoros”. I have five scheduled interruptions between 9 AM and 11 AM every morning.
d. Dress for your working style. If your work requires to be dressed in business suits, put them on. Yes, that includes the pants.
e. Your Dog (if you don’t have one, what’s keeping you from adopting one?) is your stress buster. Spend time with him or her every alternate hour during your workday. Hiding the treats is a great pastime.
f. Set the groundrules: maximim 6 PM in the ‘office’. Anything beyond that, you are ruining your family time. That including getting the dinner ready.