10 Tips To Work From Home Successfully

Working from home truly sounds like a dream come true. Suddenly, everything about office life that you hated is gone. When people imagine working from home they have romantic notions of sleeping in late, lounging around in pajamas, or taking in large amounts of leisure time. The struggles of noisy coworkers, overbearing bosses, and complex company drama disappear.

But once individuals transition into the work from home setting, they often begin to experience an array of frustrations that shatter any romantic notion of the experience. They run into uncontrollable distractions, resulting in decreased productivity. They feel isolated from their peers and coworkers, increasing feelings of depression and disconnection. They also find it difficult to create a balance between their professional and personal lives, because work is literally done at home.

These obstacles can be overcome, however, and for anyone wanting to work from home: the more prepared you are, the more likely you are to succeed.

10 Tips

1. Pretend like you’re heading to the office.

The commute from home to work allows individuals to get into work mode, as there is time to prepare your professional face. However, when you work from home, the transition from your pillow to your computer doesn’t allow for that same time. You will easily be tempted to let morning sluggishness take over.

Differentiating the mental association between home and office is key when working from home. In order to be more productive when telecommuting, create a ritual of getting ready as if you are going to a job. This includes setting an alarm, making coffee, and putting on nice clothes.

2. Dedicate an area at home to be a work space.

Don’t fall into the trap of cooping yourself up in your room (or on the couch) when working from home. These areas are associated with leisure. The temptation to lounge around will cause you to fall behind on work. Instead, dedicate a specific room or area in your home that is identified as your work space. Make sure anyone else living with you also treats it as such.

3. Schedule your work day.

When working from home, you may not have an in-person schedule that manages your time. You can easily lose focus and get nothing done, or never stop working and burn out. This is because you are forced to be your own personal manager. To prevent these issues structure your time to include what you’ll do, and for how long you’ll be focusing on said project or task. Organize your schedule to include assignment due dates, meetings, and training. Be sure you utilize an online calendar, and don’t forget to set reminders to take breaks.

4. Work when you’re the most productive.

It is only natural for any worker’s motivation to ebb and flow, but when your work is done at home knowing when you’re at your peak is more important than ever. It’s  too easy to be discouraged by a slump, and stop work altogether. Capitalize on your productive periods by scheduling more difficult tasks during the time(s) of day you know you are the most driven.

5. Pick a definitive time for the end of your work day.

This sounds surprising, but working from home brings about a similar response to that of gambling in a casino. You get so caught up in an activity you’re doing, in a comfortable setting, that you lose track of all time. Unlike a traditional office, you don’t have coworkers leaving to indicate the end of a normal work day. When this happens too often the exhaustion can prevent you from getting back to work for days.

Therefore, it is essential to know when the end of your work day is. Though this time can fluctuate, it’s key to know when to prepare to wind down on a project, in order to “head out of the office.”

6. Keep clear boundaries with the people around you.

If you live with someone, it can be difficult to develop the necessary skills to separate home and work. Your family or roommates may not understand the discipline needed to successfully work remotely. Remember, they have the same romantic notions that you did before you started.

Battle this by communicating expectations. Make them aware of your work space and work hours, so they can respect both. Create resolutions for common distractions, like changing your schedule to accommodate when your dog needs to be fed or for when you know your spouse will be home to care for the children. Setting clear boundaries will help to prevent any animosity between you and your loved ones.

7. Stay connected to your company.

If your job has allowed you to work from home, you may find yourself feeling cut off from the whole operation. You may question your importance, or how you fit in. People will shift into new roles, people will leave, new people will get hired, and new jobs will be created, all in your physical absence. This can cause you to feel disconnected, and even build distrust.

In order to remind yourself of how you contribute to the bigger picture, you must stay connected. If you can’t visit the office once in a while, then utilize technological tools. Setup video conferencing meetings, check in with coworkers through instant messaging, and regularly call in to your leadership team.

8. Get out of the house.

Creating a balance between home and work can feel daunting when work is in the home. Feelings of loneliness creep in, due to the solitary experience of the work. Inactivity and social isolation can cause individuals to lose healthy habits, including maintaining hygiene or working out. Feelings of monotony and boredom also take over when you’re working from home.

Therefore, to keep inspiration and joy alive, take your telecommuting out into your community. Pick a regular day where you will work from a library, coffee shop, or park. It’s important to interact with other people and see environments that are outside of the same four walls.

9. Use your home chores as a timer for your work assignments.

One advantage of working from home is that you can complete other home-based tasks that would be put off if you worked in an office. Utilizing your laundry or dishwasher as a timer helps you complete home chores, and keeps you on schedule with your work. You’ll be able to train yourself to tell which assignments will be finished at the same time as your washer, dryer, or dishwasher.

10. Invest in noise canceling headphones.

You will find, when working from home, that one of the biggest distractions is noise. You will hear neighbors banging around in their garage, dogs barking that you didn’t know lived in the neighborhood, and if your office is in a shared living space you’ll constantly hear people coming and going. When these situations are out of your control, your irritation will grow, until your feelings are displaced and you lash out. So, combat this by buying noise canceling headphones and listening to instrumental music. A lot of streaming services have playlists with music catered toward focus and concentration. 

Maintain Balance

When you work from home, it is your responsibility to design and enforce a work-life that benefits you. The key to all these tips is balance. When working from home becomes disharmonious, you’re going to find yourself failing. Creating a structured work routine, setting clear boundaries with yourself and others, and finding connectivity will increase your chances for success.

Do you work from home? Do you have tips to make the experience more successful? Let me know in the comments section below!

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