How to Survive Working From Home: 5 Tips From an Office Returnee - Page 2
2. Set boundaries
Distractions in the home are everywhere. Not only the ones you enjoy (T.V., your hobbies, your family) but also – chores! When I first started working from home I thought it was fabulous that I could put loads of laundry in the machine or food in the oven while working. However, in time, I realised that these tasks could very easily become excuses to procrastinate on work. Before you know it, the day is over and although you'll have clean clothes and a tasty dinner, you may be significantly behind on the stuff that's paying the bills that facilitate those things! Set yourself some boundaries. Determine some working hours that fit in with how you want to live your life.
When I discovered the Pomodoro technique, I started using the 5 minute breaks to do chores (I use Pomodairo as my timer – it's free). All those small sessions really add up, taking away the dread from the thought of having to do chores. It's also an excuse to get up from your desk, move and even practice some mindfulness.
3. Go through the motions
Get up, shower and dress. These may seem like very obvious suggestions but you'll be surprised how easy it is to stay in your pyjamas all day. After all, who's going to see you? The longer you leave it until you get these basic actions out of the way, the less likely you'll be to leave the house (reference tip number 1) and the less likely you'll feel ready, amped and productive in general. It's a psychological thing that may indeed be due to years of conditioning from working in an office. It helps immensely!
4. Set limits
Different from number 2 because in this case, you're setting limits so that you don't work too much! Once you remove the commute and the regular working hours, you have this amorphous working week. It's easy to consume yourself with work, especially if you're working for yourself (if you're working for somebody else, you may overwork in order to prove your productivity, given that you're not present and visible in the office). Weekends become working days with the bonus of a guilt-free lie-in. Holidays become legendary tales. This is not sustainable and you will pay dearly for the consequences if you indulge in this self-neglect (perhaps in the form of a very unhappy spouse, likely in some level of burnout). Just as you set boundaries regarding non-work related activities, it's important to set limits for how much time you'll spend working.
Continued on the next page
Follow Technorati