So many people are working from home right now and they have been for some time. Here are a few tips on how to make working from home work better for you!
Do you have a hard time "leaving" work when you work from home?
Not having a commute or a clear separation of where work ends and home life begins is one of the biggest sources of frustration among home-based workers and their families.
Turn off your work computer. This is simple but effective! Make a ritual out of closing all your windows, tabs, and applications. Save all your open documents and shut down your work computer and devices every day. That prevents the temptation to answer emails during dinner or checking in on things at the office before bed.
Do you start your work day before your day at home begins?
Create a morning routine that incorporates your home life first whether that’s you time or family time. Have a cup of coffee, take a walk and get some fresh air. Read a great blog post… HINT, HINT! Do something for you before firing up the work devices.
This time used to be yours but now it is less clear. You need to reinstate your morning routine and create a transition from home to work.
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Do you miss your commute?
That sounds a bit crazy, but the commute is a perfect transition to and from work. A time to close up one area of your life and begin to open up another. This is gone if you work from home.
Maybe your commute was the only time each day where you were alone. That represents a huge change if you are now always surrounded by family and/or on calls with co workers with no alone time.
That morning walk just got more important! Maybe take a hot bath a few times a week? Schedule some alone time to read or review a subject you find interesting outside of both work and family.
You have to take care of yourself!
The key here is to realize that working from home is both wonderful and challenging. You need to be honest with yourself about meeting your needs in this new model before you can help your coworkers or your family members. The last thing you want to do is take out frustration on someone you care about, so prepare to care for yourself first!
Cheers,
Joe
