This article originally appeared on our Medium.com page
Working from home? Yay!!! How fun, how easy. No more dealing with co-workers and commutes. It’s great….
Well, yes, mostly it is great. But working from home has it’s own challenges, especially if you have kids, a spouse or lots of pets running around your home while you’re trying to get your work done.
I’ve been working from home for over a decade and I’m still sane — mostly — and I’ve learned some tricks that makes working from home, without losing your mind, easier and more likely!
Here are the things I learned to do to keep a healthy balance with my time:
Stay Focused
Multitasking is not efficient, I don’t care what anyone says. Even if you’ve mastered it, you’ll do tasks more efficiently and more quickly if you focus on one thing at a time.
I was introduced to the Pomodoro method many years ago and have been using it ever since. Set a timer and focus on one task until the timer goes off. Then reset the timer and move on to the next task. Take a break every hour.
There is a subtle urgency with the timer going in the background that really encourages focus.
This is my version of the method, I’ve made some tweaks over the years, but that’s the basic concept. It works!
Set Boundaries
If you have other people in your home you have to explain to them that when you’re working they do not bother you… unless someone is bleeding. If you have young kids and hire a sitter to be with them during the day, let the sitter know that as far as they’re concerned, you’re not there.
Have a retired spouse hanging around the house all day? Make it clear that you will take breaks at specific times and you can hang with them then, but other than that they need to amuse themselves!
Create A Schedule
When I first started building my online business I had a really hard time shutting off. I would stop working late at night, I worked all weekend, etc. I never had any type of schedule.
And, to be honest, I still maintain a ton of flexibility in my schedule. After all, what’s the point of being my own boss and working from home if I have to punch a time clock???
BUT…I do have some rules that I follow — I always stop work no later than 6 p.m. and I always take my weekends off. These things have made it possible to maintain my work / life balance.
Create a schedule that works for you, your work and your family. Once it’s created, stick to it so you can maintain your work / life balance too!
Create An Efficient And Attractive Work Space
I used to sit in my recliner with a laptop on my lap. Not only did it get hot, there were too many distractions in the middle of the family room.
So I created a nice home office for and that’s where I work. I painted the walls, hung attractive pictures and have bought inspirational posters. I like my office. I enjoy spending time in my office. My office is comfortable and quiet.
And yours should be too even if you can’t commandeer a whole room. Create the best, most attractive space you can!
To Get Dressed Or Not?
Some motivational information claims that to be efficient when working from home you need to get up and get dressed just as you would if you were going to an office.
I respectfully disagree. I like to be comfortable. I wear comfortable clothes and would get kicked out of an office if I ever went there in my normal work attire! The only exception to that rule is when I’m recording a video. Then I will put on a nice top… still have the lounge pants or shorts on the bottom though!
Figure out what’s most comfortable for you and do that. If you find you are more productive when you get up and get dressed for the office, do it! If you’re like me and prefer comfortable shorts and tops, do that. After all, you’re working from home so you get to decide what works for you!
Hope This Helps
I love working from home and you probably do to, or will once you get started. But, you do have challenges to face. I hope these tips will work for you as well as they have me.
Just remember, you’re the boss. Ultimately you need to figure out how to structure your work days and what works best for you!