According to a business monitor financed by accounting software company MYOB, around half of New Zealand small and medium businesses these days have employees who work remotely, and around 40% of business leaders prefer to work from home for at least half the week. Not being office-bound the whole week is a desired work format for many of us but working from home isn’t always as easy as it seems as it requires a lot of discipline and can sometimes make you feel really lonely. Here are some really helpful tips to keep you sane working from home.
Have a special work space. Having a place at home that is dedicated to nothing else but work is crucial, otherwise sooner or later you’ll find yourself doing the dishes instead of working on the kitchen counter or distracted with PlayStation while working in the lounge. Make sure you don’t eat or sleep or talk to your dog in this work space as well. Don’t give yourself a single opportunity to get distracted!
Have a schedule. If you don’t want to avoid postponing urgent tasks til’ late at night, keeping to the same routine really helps. Wake up at the same time, shower, water your plants and brew a fresh coffee to set yourself up for a productive day. Do that every morning and your mind will learn the routine and when it’s time to wake up and get those tasks sorted.
Get dressed. This advice usually makes freelance newbies smile. Seriously, why would anyone ditch their favourite comfy PJs for a suit if you have no intention of even leaving the house? But appropriate work attire doesn’t only keep you focused, it’s also beneficial for your business because you no longer have to turn down last minute Skype calls or business meetings due to a bad hair day. You’re ready for any situation!
Don’t avoid social interactions. It’s so easy to fall into this trap! When you have an excuse to stay at home for a few days because of the never-ending to-do list, you often don’t feel the need to talk to anyone else. But, we’re humans and we were created to socialise. So ask your friends over for a wine in the evening or pop out for a coffee as it’s a proven fact that even a short conversation makes our brain work more efficiently and improves our mood.
Do chores when you need a break. At the office we chat to co-workers, go to the kitchen to make a cup of tea or take short breaks. Not surprisingly, when you stay at home and don’t have all that social activity going on around you, you might find yourself working for hours at a time and feeling completely exhausted. Stand up, empty the dishwasher or take out the trash – small things every hour or so to give your brain that much needed break.