Work from home tips from a gal currently sitting on her couch

I don’t have a home office. I have a desk, but my workspace is basically the bar in the kitchen as I am cooking, or sipping coffee in the morning waiting for my son to get ready for school. It can be while I am sitting on the couch with my feet propped up like I am as I write this. It can be sitting on the back deck as I grill supper or just listening to the birds sing to me.

What I found out when I started working from home was that it is a little harder than I thought it would be. I have things that seem to distract me more than I thought dirty laundry would dare do. The dog needs to go out to potty and I find myself picking up sticks and then using the blower to clean off the deck and porches. Totally forgot that I was in the middle of a blog post I wanted to finish.

I start back in the house as I pass the washer and dryer I toss a load in the dryer before grabbing the laptop again. 30 minutes later I have the laptop sitting on top of the dryer folding clothes as I am using the talk and type feature on my MacBook Pro to finish writing.

Seriously, days are like that. The image people give of people working in their fuzzy slippers, sipping coffee with no distractions is nothing like my work from home world.

I have written blog post from the bleachers at a baseball game, soccer game, driving down the road (while my husband drives) to a game. When I came home to work I schedule my work around my life.

Yes, I have times on the calendar that is all about business but most of it are on the go and from many tables.

Work it out

It took me 6-8 weeks to really get a routine working from home. I quickly learned if I went to my office to “check email” sipping coffee in my robe. That I would look up at the clock and it would be 11AM and my coffee would be cold.

I have worked with my kids laying on the floor doing homework but there are times I go into my “office” and shut the door so I can focus.

Best Practices

1. Establish a morning routine just like if you were going to commute to a job. Set the alarm, shower, put on real clothes, not slippers. Don’t go all crazy getting dressed but baggy sweats don’t make you feel like you’re in work mode. I get my workout done in the morning because by 6pm in the evening it was getting pushed under the rug and showing up on my behind.
2. Find a space that makes you ‘clock into work mode’. If you are too relaxed your production will be down.
3. No TV. Me personally I can listen to music but it has to be without words or I will start singing along and lose focus… yes that easy.
4. Take real coffee breaks. The kind you leave your workspace and put your feet in the grass, walk to the mailbox, take a walk around the block, leave your phone on your desk so you are not leaving one space for another.
5. Turn off social media while you are in work mode. The last things you need is dings and alerts that messages are coming in. Turn those off. They will be there when you are finished working.
6. Take two walks a day. Yes two, it clears your mind, relaxes your shoulders, and gets the blood pumping.
7. Hang out with other people. This is weird for me to say since I don’t require lots of people time. However, after working from home for several months I started missing the random chats I had with co-workers in the hall or at meetings. They were short burst but I enjoyed them. At the end of the day when all of my human contacts have been digital, it made me realise I missed some of the office distractions, crazy jokes and staying in touch with other people. I don’t miss people stealing my food out of the refrigerator going through my desk and going in my office when I was not there.
   

   Work from home – works for me

On days that I need people interaction I move my work area to a coffee shop, or to a local library where I can see and be around people. When I am done I simply pack up and walk out. I don’t have to inform anyone, just leave. I like that a lot.

My hardest struggle is the focus, which is getting better. I no longer miss my sons ball games, soccer games or those 5 mins presentations at school I used to only hear about.

When I need to make phone calls it goes on the schedule. The door closes and work get done.

I need to wrap this up, I hear my husband’s truck coming down the driveway. I like to stand on the porch when he pulls in the garage along side all the dogs and cats who are smiling because he is home.

Right now, my work day is over – unless I decide to pick it up later. It’s a scattered arrangement but it works for me. I feel professional, I feel connected, I enjoy what I do.

and some days… I work in my PJ’s.

PS: If you would like to work from home let me show you the Top 10 top tips to get you started