More time.
More money.
More creative freedom.
The secret to achieving the above?
Working from home.
Not to mention, you can also opt for sweatpants daily when you’re office is your living room.
But that’s not to say that the good life of working from home doesn’t have it’s challenges. How do you keep from getting distracted with household duties? How do you get anything done if you have kids around? How do you stay motivated and focused?
We know working from home takes some serious commitment! With this in mind, here are 7 tips to help make working from home work for you:
1. Start Your Day
Some people think working from home means you roll out of bed at any time of day, walk to your computer with bedhead and unbrushed teeth and start hammering away.
We say nay to that stereotypical belief!
Even though you’re working at home, make it a habit to set your alarm and start your day at a designated time. The idea is to treat your job like any other job that you need to get out of the house for, because that’s what it is: a job!
Bonus morning tip: If the thought of a pesky ear-splitting alarm gives you a headache, pick a song you wouldn’t mind hearing on the daily and set it as your alarm sound. It’s a much more pleasant wake up call and will put you in the right state of mind to start your day feeling happy and motivated!
2. Get Ready
Although one of the obvious perks of working at home is the concept of wearing your pajamas to work, we would like to argue against it. To effectively work from home, you need to feel sharp and ready to go. As comfy as they are, change out of those jammies and dress for the productive day ahead of you. Heels or dress shoes are not a necessity, but a put together ‘business casual’ look is a necessity. Plus, dressing for work will automatically help you be in the ‘work mode’ mindset you strive to have.
3. Create a To-do List
At the start of each week, make a list of the items you need to accomplish. You might have the best memory known to man, but sometimes, just writing things down creates a sense of urgency while simultaneously giving us something concrete to look at. Not to mention, crossing an item off of a physical list is much more satisfying than mentally checking off a task in your head. Productivity is key!
4. Take Breaks
For all you workaholics out there, we know working from home means making a sandwich and eating while you work. If you have a deadline or something that is severely pressing, eating while you work is sometimes necessary. However, if the task at hand can wait, take a lunch break. Office-dwellers get a daily break, so you should to! Step away from the computer, turn off your phone ringer, and enjoy the comfort of your own home, or even go out to grab a bite to eat to get some fresh air!
5. Network
Working from home means the majority of your time may be spent alone and indoors. So, use this time to build your network from home. Since most people are typically working from their computer anyways, utilize it to virtually network with people you want to work with. Whether it’s with other bloggers, potential sponsors, or possible business partners, send out emails to people you want to collaborate with. While you’re at it, try and set up an in-person meeting; you have the space to host them after all. Just because you’re working at home doesn’t mean you can’t go out into the world—in fact, it probably means that you should go out more.
6. Have Closure
One of the biggest perks of working at home is having everything you need for work in your own humble abode. One of the cons of working at home is…well, having everything you need for work in your house. Because you have everything readily available, it’s easy to blur the lines between work life and home life. Set designated work hours so you know when to start your day, and sometimes more importantly, when to end your day.
7. Relax
Working from home doesn’t mean you’re any less stressed than other people. At times, people who work out of house feel the need to justify themselves to others by pushing themselves 24/7. Remember what we said above about clocking out? This is why taking a vacation is so important. Just like people who work out of an office have vacation time, make sure to take some time off from your job. Whether you plan a cross-country trip, take a staycation, or just hang out at home, make genuine time to decompress and de-stress. After your much needed vacation, you’ll be re-energized and ready to take on the world when you get back.
Working at home is far from easy. It takes discipline, a strong work ethic, and a whole lot of energy and dedication to do what you do. Always work hard, but also know when to take some time for yourself. Like every other day job, balancing work and personal life is the key to happiness, healthiness, and overall success—we hope you can utilize these 7 tips to do just that!
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This article is brought to you by Bloguettes, a branding company based in Phoenix, AZ that offers webinars, online classes, one-on-one consulting, and hands-on training to help you kill it in the online world!
Header image via Stock That Rocks by Bloguettes
