*sorry for reusing an old photo!
I’ve been working from home for almost a year now and it can be both a blessing and a curse. Part of me loves that I can get up whenever I want, wear pjs all day and work from the sofa with Netflix on in the background. However, if I do this every day I can guarantee I will get no work done whatsoever and part of me will start to go slightly insane. It makes me so happy to see the number of girl bosses increasing and that doing your own thing (and being freelance) is becoming more popular as the blogging/marketing world gets more lucrative, but I thought I’d offer my top tips for working from home to stop you losing your mind.
Leave the House | I know this sounds counterproductive, but try and get out of the house every day if you can. Even if it’s to wander to your local tesco to buy some milk or grab a coffee or just go for a wander for 15 minutes, it makes such a difference to your mental state to get some fresh air. If you can’t get out one day, make sure you open your windows or even stand at your front door for five minutes to give your head some space. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it can sharpen both your mind and your quality of work.
Set a Schedule | As much as it’s nice to get out of bed at midday and lounge around in your pjs, your productivity will dwindle if you do this constantly. Try to get up at a set time and have a work schedule, whether that’s sticking to 9-5 or 10-6 or whenever you fancy, with a set lunch break. Ensure you’re sticking to working during those hours too and not zoning out by watching YouTube videos (which I am totally guilty of…)
Have a Designated Work Space | I know not all people have the space for this, but if you can, get a desk so you know when you sit down at that space, that you’re there to work. You can get compact but functional desks too so you don’t need to take up too much space if you shuffle things around. Plus it’ll give you an excuse to decorate, right?
Have Snacks and Water Prepared | I am very, very guilty of bad snacking when I’m working from home. If I have chocolate in the cupboard then I will eat it over making myself some food without a doubt. Try to plan what you’re going to have for lunch and stock up on healthy-ish snacks, like fruit or make an oat traybake/flapjacks like this one, so you don’t live on sweets and crash at 3pm. Make sure you have a big bottle of water or a pint glass handy too – hydration is so, so important.
Set Goals | Along with a working schedule it’s good to have goals and tasks for the week ahead, even if you’re a blogger and get all of your photos done in one day. Plan what you’re going to do each day or hour if you’re that meticulous – I use Wunderlist – and tick goals off. If you think you’ve done everything for the week, add some more as there’s always something you can do. Increase your following on a platform or plan what you want to do the following week, you can always maximise your time.
What are your rules on working from home?
Helen x
