Working from home starts off sounding like a great perk. You can wear your pajamas, sleep in, avoid the dreaded morning commute and so much more. But, once you have gotten used to all of that you may find that working from home is more of a challenge than a perk.
This particularly happens if you haven’t properly prepared for the work from home transition. If your space is small and cluttered – that can just induce stress and make it hard for you to focus on your actual work.
Here are 7 tips to help you make your home office, your best office.
1. Decide & Declutter
Once you’ve nailed down your work location (that’s hopefully, not your bed or couch) it’s time to make sure that it is clear and organized. As the old phrase goes, “A clear desk equals a clear mind.” It holds up. If you have a good spot to work, you’ll be less focused on your surroundings and more focused on the task at hand
2. Get Dressed
While wearing pajamas while you work sounds amazing, you will find that your relaxed attire will make it harder for you to focus. You’ll feel more like you’re lounging around at home than at work. At the end of the day, you’re at home to work. So take a few extra minutes to swap out those sweats for real clothes.
3. Light it up
While natural light from your home’s windows is great – it doesn’t always hold up when you need it. If the weather changes or you catch yourself daydreaming out the window, it will kill your productivity. So instead, you use your lights. This will avoid you from having to get up and turn them on and will keep you focused.
4. Make your office your own
One of the most underrated perks of working from home is making your new office all your own. You can deck it out however you want and really make it a place you look forward to going to and getting things done. Pictures, lights, knick-knacks – bring them all into your new digs!
5. Plan. Plan. Plan.
If you are working from home for just one day or you’re a full-time freelancer, you want to make sure that you are planning your workdays. Plan everything – from the moment you wake up, to the minute you go to sleep. This will help you stay on task and remove distractions so you can be your most productive self even from home.
6. Go outside
While being cooped up in your home all day, it’s crucial to get outside and get some fresh air. A great way to incorporate this is to take walks on your lunch break. If you don’t want to get up in the middle of your workday, be sure to get out before you start your day or just after it ends. It will allow you to calm down and feel refreshed.
7. Sign off
When working from home, it’s important to maintain the work-life balance you’re used to. If you’re new to working from home, this might be challenging if you know there’s other projects you could complete while you’re home. Plan your day and stick to your typical hours. A good way to avoid overworking could be making plans right after work with friends or family, so you have to log off or you’ll miss out.
Working from home is definitely an adjustment. What can start as an awesome perk, can quickly turn into a difficult challenge. Taking these seven tips and applying them to your new reality will help make that transition smoother and help get you through these trying times.
