With so many people practicing social distancing and self-quarantine right now, it seemed like the perfect time to share some work from home tips with y’all!
When I quit my day job, I thought I was going to be a rock star at working from home. Boy was I wrong! There was no outside force dictating my schedule, no one to be accountable to, and a bevy of ‘shoulds’ running around in my brain. Managing my schedule in a healthy way was tougher than I ever imagined.
After a few months of working out the kinks, I finally came up with a number of things that really made a difference for me. I’m excited to share my work from home tips with those of you who suddenly find yourselves in the position where you’re working from home for an indefinite amount of time. My work from home tips are set up to support your overall well being during this uncertain time. They’re organized into sections – before, during, and after the work day.
My hope is that these work from home tips will help you feel confident in how you’re set up so you can actually enjoy this aspect of something that’s overall a bummer and definitely an interruption.
To set up your own work at home experience and stay super organized, download a worksheet with my work from home tips from this blog post here.
Before
Make four lists:
Things you enjoy from your current routine
Things you don’t enjoy about your current routine
Things that have the potential to cause stress, distraction, feel like you’re failing – keep these things in mind so you easily recognize them when they pop up
Things that will create a feeling of flow, success, enjoyment – infuse these things into your daily routine (lots of space for that in the tips below…)
Set a schedule
Include the things you enjoy from your current routine – if you like doing your makeup everyday, keep doing that. If you enjoy listening to your fav podcast on the commute to work, do that while getting ready for the day.
Don’t include the things you don’t enjoy from your current routine – this is the perfect time to infuse some joy into your new routine by skipping out on the things that you don’t enjoy but feel you have to do when you’re working outside the home. If you hate doing your hair, throw it up in a top knot and forget about it!
Limit distractions:
Set a specific day for house work, chores, and errands (weekend days preferably)
Tell friends and family not to call during work hours
Turn off the TV! Or set aside a specific time to watch TV – maybe during lunch – ya wanna have some fun!
Tell yourself it’s OK if you don’t give your pet your undivided attention (I couldn’t even get through taking these photos without Milli pawing at my leg the whole time!)
Set aside time for human interaction (phone calls, video chats, virtual co-working)
Set up a work space
Make it a designated area away from distraction
Have fun making it a positive environment (upbeat music, your favorite scent, lots of natural light) – you get to control more of that at home than you do in your regular office!
Fill it with things you love, like photos, art, crystals, candles, etc. (all photos are mine!)
Set intentions & rewards
At the beginning of this process, set an intention for how you want the next few weeks to go
Also set a reward for yourself! Pick something big you can do to celebrate when this thing is over
Each day, set intentions for how you want your day to go; this will help you stay focused throughout the day in an environment that can offer many distractions
Reward yourself at the end of each day for knocking out your to-do list and staying focused
During
Switch it up – this is my favorite tip! There is a freedom that comes from working from home and IMHO, you should take advantage of it!
Location – work somewhere other than your desk
Work from the patio on warm days
Sit on the couch for a couple hours with your laptop
Sit at the kitchen table for a bit
Sit/Stand
Stand at the kitchen counter for a bit. You don’t have to stay at your desk all day!
I ordered one of those exercise balls to sit on when I’m at my desk instead of a desk chair – it’s way more comfortable and fun to bounce on!
Set up an accountability structure by spending an hour or two virtual co-working
Ask a few friends to join you on Skype while you each work on your own project
Join a virtual co-working community, like this one
Fun drinks – I am a master of making fun drinks to hydrate with throughout my work day. It breaks the day up a little and keeps things interesting!
spruce up your water with coconut water or aloe juice
perfect for the current environment – add an Airborne, Vitamin C, or Nuun tablet
flavorful teas or coffees
flavored sparkling waters
add fresh citrus and/or herbs to your drinks
Take breaks
Stretch
Have a dance party
Take a mid-day walk
Text a friend
Play with your pet
Add something here from the list of things that will help create flow, enjoyment, and/or a feeling of success
After
When you work in the same space you live, it’s incredibly important to create a healthy boundary for yourself between work and the rest of your life. These ‘after’ tips are designed to help you do just that!
At the end of your work day, make a list of what to do tomorrow:
This gets all those thoughts out of your mind
You can reassure yourself they’ll get taken care of the following day
You don’t have to think about them for the rest of the night or be tempted to keep working.
Acknowledge and check in
Ask yourself if there’s anything you need to feel complete on your work day. Decide if those things can wait until tomorrow (add them to tomorrow’s list!) or if you need to take an extra 30 minutes to wrap them up today.
Acknowledge yourself for all the work you did! This creates a sense of accomplishment and helps you realize you really can wrap up your day.
Reward yourself – You’re in a new routine and rewards will create positive reinforcement so you can feel good about keeping it up!
Exercise – Working from home naturally creates less time outdoors, walking, etc. and can encourage more of a sedentary lifestyle. Add a workout routine to your schedule so you can avoid weight gain and overall slovenliness.
Set aside time for human interaction – phone calls, a walk with a healthy neighbor, face time
Hobbies
Keep up with hobbies you can do from home like reading, painting, drawing, photography, gardening, cooking, etc.
This is the perfect time to try something new! Take a language course online, learn some new recipes, take an online course in something you’re interested in
Did this post get you excited to book your own headshots or branding session?! If yes, send me a note and we can chat about what you have in mind:contact me
Hi – I’m Rachel! A wedding, engagements, and headshots photographer in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and northern Virginia. I love taking photos of elegant people who love to laugh, as well as of much in-love couples. If you’re a dog owner, that’s a plus! I’m currently booking 2019 portrait sessions, as well as 2019 and 2020 weddings.