With the rise of technology and entrepreneurship, more people seem to be working from home than ever before. I’ve had the experience of working in a corporate office setting, but the majority of my professional career has been spent working from home…and I love every minute of it. It’s not always easy to make the switch, though, so here are my five tips for working from home.
1. Dedicate a specific workspace.
Not having a typical office setup is clearly the biggest difference when it comes to working from home. I think it’s important to dedicate a space in your home that is just for working because it gives you the structure that an office setting provides. What’s great about working from home is that you have the control to create the environment that you’re most productive in. If that means creating an actual home office, do that. If it means sitting on the couch with a lap desk, by all means go for it. Remember that there are no rules to working from home, so do whatever helps you be the most productive.
2. Make a list of priorities each day/week.
I’m a huge fan of lists, and they’re easily my secret weapon when it comes to successfully working from home. I’ve found that making a priority list of the top 5-10 things I’d like to get done in the day and/or week is an extremely helpful tool. I chip away at the list one thing at a time, and it helps me to stay on track. If I finish the list early, then I’m done work early. It’s a great motivating factor to remain focused until I’ve finished the important tasks of the day.
3. Stick to a schedule to avoid distractions.
A lot of people fear the idea of working from home because they think it’s too distracting. While it’s true that the freedom of working from home can cause distractions, I personally find that I get more work done because I’m in control of my schedule, environment, and productivity. It’s important to remember that working from home still means you have to…well, work! Decide your hours (for me it’s a typical nine to five), get your priority list ready, and don’t focus on any home or life tasks until your work day is complete.
4. Dress for success.
No, I’m not saying you should wear a pant suit while working from your living room. But please - change out of your pajamas, will you? For me, just knowing that I look decent makes me much more likely to take my work day seriously. Unless I have a meeting where I have to look professional, my favorite wardrobe for working from home is exercise clothes. They’re comfortable, presentable, and automatically give the feeling of accomplishment. It’s also a motivating factor to exercise, but we’ll save that for another post.
5. Don’t forget to take a break.
After working from home for over three years, my biggest struggle now is actually to know when to take a break. I find myself getting caught up in certain projects, and before I know it I’ve worked 8 hours without even eating lunch! Now I try to take at least 30-60 minutes a day to get outside, run errands, or do something completely unrelated to the computer screen. I’ve found that that actually lends to me being more productive in the long run.
This article was originally posted on The Huffington Post. Check out all of my articles here!
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Do you work from home? What is your most helpful tip for doing so?
I’ve been working from home for just over a year now; and my tips for success are just like yours.
Changing from pjs makes it harder to snuggles back in bed on slow days (although sometimes answering emails under the covers is totally a perk). Similarly taking 45 minutes in the afternoon for a 5km walk or getting grocery shopping done during the week makes me more productive. I have national clients, so, taking breaks ensures the day isn’t so long when I’m still at my computer at 8pm. Lastly, rejoicing in the opportunity of homemade, not a salad or sandwich, lunches.
Yes, homemade meals is definitely a plus!
I wish more than anything I worked from home…however, they do say the grass is always greener so perhaps I’d get bored. I would like to try it at some point-but currently my job does not allow for a work at home option.
david macadam says
The one thing I have found about working form home is diversification. You need more than one avenue and what you are offering is essential. As far as time goes I work a regular job anywhere from 48-50 hours a week and still can make money online. Just set aside a certain time that you devout just to online work. It can be done and it can be profitable.
mary macadam says
Earning from home is far from boring. Since you are your own boss you can come and go as you please, Take a long lunch and see your kids at school (if that is allowed). Go to the salon in the middle of the day when they aren’t as busy. Pop in a 30 minute work out DVD if you get the need to move around. Just keep in mind your success is only as good as your own work ethic. I find if I set a schedule I get more done but that schedule is completely up to you. You have nothing to lose giving it a try.
Great advice! My piece of advice would be: don’t forget to make time for yourself and socialize! While working from home is amazing(I did it for about 2 years), one can also become a bit obsessed with work at busy times and forget about the outside world. Make it a point to separate business and personal life. :):)
Yes - great tip! couldn’t agree more
I work at home quite a bit and for so long I’d be like, SWEET, I can wear sweatpants!! Fast forward a year (um, I’m a slow learner?) and I realize that I just feel slovenly and don’t get NEAR as much done as when I put on a simple outfit (t-shirt and jeans or something) and actually sit at my dining room table rather than lounging on the couch with my cat on my legs and remote dangerously close to me, ha. The grass IS always greener. I often wish I had an office I could like rent out or something! Definitely agree with all of your suggestions!
Very helpful tips! Creating a work space that contains everything that you need to work with is very important if you want to become more productive in what you do. Aside from your personal computer or your laptop, you should also take ergonomics into careful consideration.
So what are these ergonomics? First is the chair where you will be sitting on for a long period of time. You do not want to be working on the floor, as this will put significant amount of stress on your back. There are now a lot of great computer chairs that come with ergonomic features, such as proper support for your back, your shoulders, and your neck. It is highly recommended that you spend a little extra on purchasing a high quality computer chair, as this will help you feel comfortable while working.
LOVE THIS!!! Great post Gracie! Thanks for the helpful tips. As you know, I work part time as a barre fitness instructor, but thats only 15- 20 hours of my week and the rest of my week is spent working from home & its so easy to get distracted and before you know it the day is done and you havent finished half of the things you wanted to! lol So inspired by your blogs!! <3
Ed says
hey Gracie, just found your blog. I’ve found it to be interesting and useful since I’ll be moving to New york soon. Also starting a blog about my “adventures”. I’m curious what’s your job exactly? I wish i could work from home. haha
Syd says
These tips are great, Gracie!. And this idea is all too enticing as of late. Can we talk about this soon?!
Ps. totally stocking you right now xoxoxo
yes, let’s!!
hehe stalk away 
xo