7 Tips for Working from Home Successfully

I worked from home for the first two years of my career (if you can call it such a thing when you’re 21), and while that seemed like a dream to me initially (and every ? single ? one ? of my friends), it certainly came with some struggles as time went on. Here’s what I learned about how to work from home successfully:

1. Do NOT wear pajamas all day.

I found it incredibly important to differentiate personal time from professional time, and when you work where you live, that can be hard to do. Believe it or not, I found wearing normal “adulting” attire during the day to help keep work and home life separate. While donning your staycation suit might seem great initially, it honestly made me feel a whole lot better to put on “real” clothes during the day.

2. If you can, work in a different space to where you spend free time.

Again, laptops in bed may sound great, but as the days and weeks go on, you’re simply spending too much time in one space. If you’re able to, work somewhere different than where you spend your personal time. If you can sit at a table or desk, and not the couch, I advise you to take it – or at the very least, split up the spaces where you work.

3. Stay connected.

I’m a social vampire – I feed on the energy of others. This one hit me the hardest after a year or so – I wasn’t seeing enough people, or NEW people, per day. With the current COVID-19 social distancing, I’m not going to recommend getting out into the crush of the public, but finding ways to stay connected is critical to wellbeing. When I was in New Zealand, I really delved deep into the merits of FaceTime, and honestly felt more closely connected to friends and family than ever before. Use the technology that’s available to you to stay social.

4. Be mindful of your time.

When you’re a little more flexible with where you need to be and when, I found myself working throughout the day without taking any breaks. (I also started working a lot more in the evenings/weekends.) Structuring my time and ensuring I took breaks and time for myself became incredibly important. Don’t let your day run away with you.

5. Keep a gameplan.

With fewer distractions and last-minute meetings, you can be more productive than ever. I found it very helpful to create a daily gameplan and write down what I wanted to accomplish or focus my efforts on each day. Stay motivated by keeping a clear purpose. With fewer distractions and minimal meetings, you’ll likely be able to get far more done in far less time.

6. Look to the future.

It’s easy to get caught up in day-to-day distractions and the ever-emerging influx of “hot” new issues when you’re in a workspace. Working solo often means less interference, so you can dedicate more time to creating long-term strategies and visions for the future. Block time to research new ideas, emerging trends, or be inspired by someone out of your field with TED Talks and the like.

7. Get outdoors.

Be sure to spend time outside, and venture out of your homely hovel. Take a walk around the block, go for a run, and get out of the space you’re starting to spend so much time in. It’s all too easy to stay in one place for literally ALL YOUR HOURS. Be sure to get up and move yo’ body, or risk the atrophy of your body and mind to fine home furnishings. 

These are challenging, uncertain times. And, while working from home can sound amazing at the onset, social isolation and a lack of connectivity can mess you up like nothing else. I encourage you to be mindful of how your situation is making you feel, and solutions and actions you can take to prevent feelings of loneliness, lethargy, and disconnect.

Stay safe, everyone.