Many of us dream to work from home, and would love to ditch the nine to five lifestyle. However working from home, while it may seem like the greener grass on the other side of the fence, can be tough. You can become lonely and miss out on daily conversations which you once took for granted, and you can lose focus of your career aims, and find you aren’t achieving that sense of satisfaction in what you do. There are a few things you can do to make your working from home lifestyle work for you.
Plan ahead…
In most offices you will have a procedure or a set of daily jobs that need to be done. Working from home should operate in the same way. Writing a clear weekly timetable and crossing off what you do will not only feel good once you have achieved everything, but it will also keep you on track.
Keep to your schedule…
Lunches and breaks are important. Your home is your social environment too, so it can become blurred. Make sure you plan your breaks and allow for lunch so you have time to switch off and refresh. It’s easy to day dream a little and then not allow for a specific break to make up for your day dream down time. However if you aim for actual breaks, you will work hard in between to get every one of your daily tasks completed on time. A proper break where you allow your brain complete rest from your work will give you motivation and probably actually wipe out procrastination. Keep to your time slots and make sure you are strict.
Write down your goals…
What is it you want to achieve? Write this down and pin it to the wall. On bad days it can be a reminder of what you want and push you further when you are feeling lost. Do everything you can to aim for these goals, and don’t lose sight of this, and more importantly have the confidence that you can do it.
Get out there…
Being at home alone can be fine for those who enjoy their own company, however meeting others and getting out the house can give you better focus on your work, and a change of scene can help the mind. Meeting others can spark new ideas and you can often receive advice from unexpected sources. There are many ways to get out there, dog walking for one is a fantastic way to meet a wide range of people, network groups can be found online, or meeting friends for lunch can also be a great way to take a break.
Switch off…
When you have finished for the day, make sure you actually finish. Many make the mistake of working into the evening. Smart phones allow access to emails at all times, and we can find ourselves sending emails at nine in the evening. Switch off and enjoy family life. At the end of the day, it’s all about family, not work, and your social time is precious. It will leave you feeling fresh from having seen your work desk constantly, and allow for a fresh mind with fresh ideas.
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