Working From Home? Make It Easier With These Simple Tips

Working from home has never been more common these days, as more professionals are exchanging their lengthy morning commutes for a quieter, more peaceful routine. Work more effectively while working remotely with these simple tips.

Know Your Boundaries

Working from home makes it easier for daily life to blend into your professional life, but that doesn’t mean it has to. By establishing and maintaining boundaries, you can transform your home office into a true no-go zone where you can zoom through work uninterrupted. Sound good? Keep the two separate by setting aside space just for work, and let loved ones know that you’re unavailable while you’re on the clock. That means no contact unless you’re taking a break, and if your delivery order comes in or the phone rings, you won’t be jumping up to grab it, either. Going into work mode and remaining there helps you stay focused and bolsters that work/life balance you’re craving from a work-from-home role.

Give Yourself a Break

Since you're trying to separate work and home life, it can get tempting to just plug the day away without leaving your home office, hoping that will maximize your productivity. This usually has the reverse effect, however, and research shows that routine breaks help your brain relax and reset to actually bolster productively levels. That little break has a restorative effect, so take some time out for yourself every now and again. A 15-minute break every couple of hours is not only reasonable, but enjoyable, and you could use the time to savor a good meal, catch up on a book, or get your daily exercise out of the way. Your brain needs rest too.

Establish a Daily Routine

You might consider yourself the most dedicated worker out there, but even the most tenacious of us struggle to stick with it sometimes. Without a boss to tell you where to go and what to do, it can get tough, especially for the uninitiated. Establish a daily schedule that you'll follow each day of the week, including start, stop, and break times in between. This gives the day structure while giving yourself and your loved ones an idea of what to expect each and every day you're on the clock. While you're working, keep distractions at a minimum, such as constantly checking your phone or doing chores in between tasks. Be realistic with what you can accomplish each day, and set your schedule accordingly. Keep in mind that overtime will still be necessary from home once in a while, and you'll need to schedule vacations a little more carefully. While this can take time to get used to, you'll eventually find a solid schedule that works right for you.