Today, more people than ever are remote working for the first time in their lives. And with the work-from-home lifestyle comes new routines, new challenges, and new opportunities to go after the life you want.
Have you been struggling with maintaining your work/life balance in a work-from-home environment? You are not alone. And you are in the perfect position to take advantage of that environment, leverage the time you have, and do something extraordinary with your life.
Set yourself up for success at work and at home by implementing these 5 simple habits.
Designate Your Space
Your workspace is just as important at home as it is in the office — if not moreso! Set up your at-home workspace for success so you can stay focused and on-task.
You can create an effective home office by designating a specific place in your home as your “office”. Maybe it’s the dining room table. Maybe it’s an actual home-office. Maybe it’s a desk and chair set up in the bedroom. The space itself can be anything that works for you and your lifestyle, as long as it doesn’t distract you from your work. But make a point to designate it in your mind as your workspace so you can more easily transition into work-mode once you get there.
Make sure your space gives you access to everything you need while remote working: WiFi, pens, paper, calculator — anything you need to be successful. Don’t clutter your space, but stock up on the things you know you’ll need so you don’t break your focus to go find supplies.
Create Routines
Routines are the foundation of a happy, productive lifestyle. If you want to make sure you have time for the things that matter, creating daily routines can give you that time and allow you to build beneficial habits.
If nothing else, create a morning routine that makes you feel ready to take on the day. Starting the day on your terms is necessary for your mindset if you want to be successful later in your workday. How can you expect to be efficient and focused if you rushed out of bed straight onto that 9am Zoom call? Give yourself time to wake up peacefully and do things you want to do like journaling, yoga, or reading a book. Those moments to yourself will add up to a huge shift in your mindset and show you how capable you are of doing the things that matter to you.
Communicate Effectively
When it’s time to dive into your work, the way you communicate with the people around you will be a major factor in your productivity. Are there boundaries you need to set in place with the people you live with before you start remote working?
Make sure the people around you know when you will be working and when you will be in home-mode — especially if they’re at home and not working. For them, it may feel like you’re at home and can easily give them your attention. But practice reminding the people around you when you need to focus so you can stay on-task.
Pro tip: if you have a door to your space, shut it! This can be a simple reminder to the people around you that you are not actually “home,” and you will give them your full attention when your work is done.
Make Time for Things You Enjoy
If you could do anything what would you do?
Don’t let burnout creep up on you. When you’re working from home, the lines begin to blur between the things you have to do and the things you want to do. It can be difficult to transition out of that work mindset into your home-mode when 5pm rolls around. To combat burnout and prioritize self-care, make time every day to do something you enjoy.
Keep a list of the things that make you feel fulfilled and satisfied. Don’t worry about how productive they are — just let yourself unwind. Maybe it’s an episode of your fav Netflix show. Maybe it’s a glass of wine and a good book. Make time each day to focus on these things and give yourself a break so you can keep your mindset fresh.
Strive for Balance
Perfection is impossible. Instead of striving for perfection, strive to do your best work.
Maybe the circumstances you’re working in feel a little overwhelming. Maybe you’re struggling to stick with the habits that will ultimately push you forward. Let go of the need for perfection and focus your energy on showing up. On giving your best and adapting when necessary. Working from home requires shifts in your mindset that you may not be used to — but don’t let that stop you from doing your best.
All anyone can ask of you is that you put 100% into the things you do. If you continuously show up for yourself and your team, your best work will follow.
Remember: adjusting to any new routine is a process, so adjusting to remote working will be too. Go easy on yourself and get back up when you fall off the wagon. As long as your goal is to continuously move towards the life you want, you’ll see those improvements in your lifestyle and in your mindset.
Need some more tips on work-from-home success? Check out Amy Landino’s course: Master Work (From Home) / Life Balance!
