How to survive + thrive working from home
Whether COVID has you working from home for the first time or whether you’re a WFH veteran, I’m sure we all can agree that it’s been quite a year so far hasn’t it?!
While it’s still a major gift to be able to work in that ball cap and yoga pants, it’s a much bigger test of motivation than a lot of people might realize. Not only that, but the isolation and constant access to your fridge can bring you to a dark, dark, carb-loaded place. ;)
Ultimate work-from-home success comes from routine, preparation, and maybe a little bit of workspace KonMari.
Here are some of our tried and true tips:
Set The Day’s Intentions
Since working from home doesn’t involve a big shift in environment, our brains don’t always automatically switch into “work mode” like they might if we were walking into an office space. So I’ve found that setting aside 10-15 minutes for a morning breakdown is crucial.
This forces a brain shift and will help you to focus on primary tasks for the day (i.e. important to do’s, project work, client meetings, etc.).
Take 15 minutes when you first sit down at your desk to check in with your business goals and write out your main priorities for the day. I recommend focusing on your top 3 priorities for the day. This helps you stay focused and motivated throughout the day without a major overwhelm of tasks at the forefront of your mind!
Set Boundaries
Too many of us wake up, sit down at our computer, and immediately get distracted by all the noise, i.e. putting out work-related fires, trying to troubleshoot non-urgent issues, etc. Not only that, but we’re also immediately in digital overload with a million computer tabs and notifications popping up all over the place - a topic we offered some solutions for in our latest blog post.
To stay focused and on track, it’s important to set your intentions and align your schedule so that you can operate at your best.
I personally use the block and tackle method, which entails blocking out and devoting certain “office hours” to certain tasks (like checking your email, responding to clients, scheduling intake calls, etc.). This handy tip will help you clear up a lot of brain space so that you can narrow your focus and be more creative and efficient -- and that’s always a win-win!
(Want some more useful info on how to manage your email inbox? Check out our last Forbes article about cutting inbox overwhelm to save yourself some email sanity.)
Check Your Workspace
Don’t underestimate the power of creating an environment that keeps your head in a good space.
This feels particularly close to home (pun intended) as so many people have been forced to create temporary workspaces at home due to COVID - many of which have now become not-so-temporary. And let’s be real, working next to a pile of legos and a sippy cup (or within arm’s length of the remote) is prooobably not going to cut it long term.
So do yourself a favor and take a moment or two to create an environment that will fuel you. Whatever your “desk” space may look like these days, make sure that it works for you. Take some time at the beginning of each day to clean up the area around you; organize miscellaneous books, papers, pens, notes, etc.
BONUS TIP. Add something that you find refreshing and/or inspiring to your space: a plant, a comfy chair, some candles, great pieces of art, a little bit of music, etc.
Eat Something (AND Check Your Progress!)
Not only is it important to take a break for a solid healthy lunch or protein shake, it’s also important to take a quick moment to check in with your daily goals. Are you on target with completing your daily goals? What should be the primary focus of your afternoon?
Avoid the urge to let stress creep in over what you have left to do on your list and instead see this as a crucial moment to rest and reset so that you can conquer the final hours of your workday.
Establish “Office Hours”
When we work from home it’s tempting to feel like we always have to be ON. But just because we happen to be working inside our home doesn’t mean our work emails should get full access to us 24/7.
Setting “office hours” will help you stay in the zone and not give in to those household chores (no matter how small they are) that can break your workday momentum. They also help you draw a boundary for when the workday is done.
Work/life balance is possible, even when working from home. Go full force during your office hours so that you have zero hesitancy to shut your laptop at the end of the day and divert your attention to other really important stuff -- like your kids, your significant other, or even your own self-care (what a WILD thought).
Quick Recap
To recap, if you initially loved the idea of working from home but now you’re struggling to stay focused and on task (it happens to all of us!), try setting your intentions and priorities at the beginning of every day, creating a workspace that works for you, not against you, and work to create some solid boundaries around your day.
