Tips For Transitioning To A Work From Home Environment
Moving from an office to working from home can be quite the challenge, especially when you’re suddenly thrown into this situation. No matter what the reason, here are five of my best tips to help you make the transition and make your most of your time at home.
Tip #1 – Give Yourself Some Grace
If you’re new to working from home, it’s important to realize that there will be an adjustment period. The same holds true for any major change to your schedule or routine. Give yourself some grace while you adjust. You’ll find your groove. Before you know it, you’ll figure out your most productive times of day and start to play around with all sorts of focus hacks. Even so, you will have the occasional down day and that’s okay. Take some time off. Watch a movie. Recharge and get back to work the next day.
Tip #2 – Write Down Your Top Priorities For The Day
It’s easy to get distracted by the laundry, the kids, the internet and all sorts of other things when you’re working in the same space you’re living in. Stay on top of your work and stay productive even when your day gets away from you by making a list. Write down the top three things you need to get done (ideally the night before), and work on them as soon as you sit down to work. No matter what happens, you will know you have gotten the most important stuff taken care of.
Tip #3 – Take A Break
It’s easy to get caught up in the work when you’re at home. There’s no need to take a lunch break and you can work well past dinner if you need to. It’s easy to get into a habit of always working, especially when you enjoy what you’re doing, or you’re under a lot of pressure. It’s important to remember to take breaks. You’ll be more productive and effective when you make time for them during your busy day.
Tip #4 – Use A Timer
Work will fill the amount of time you give it. That’s why using a timer works so well to make sure you stay productive and have plenty of time for the fun stuff. Use the timer on your phone or an old-fashioned kitchen timer. Make it a game to beat the clock and see how much faster you can get your work done.
Tip #5 – Enjoy The Perks
Last but not least, it’s important to enjoy the perks. There’s a lot of freedom in working from home. If you find yourself waking up at 4am and unable to get back to sleep, you can make a pot of coffee and get to work. You’ll be done by 11am and have the rest of your day to yourself. You can head out to see your children’s Christmas play, or grab lunch with a friend who’s in town for the day. You can be flexible with what you do when and you can multitask by starting a load of laundry before finishing up a writing project. Make sure you enjoy the perks. They’ll more than make up for the challenges working from home brings.
