How does working from home work for you? How do you structure your day?
Although working from home may have some disadvantages, I’m one of those people that really enjoy not having to go to an office and interacting with co-workers. For me, these things are esential when working from home:
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Take regular breaks: I always take a short break at 11 am approximately and a longer one at 2 pm. I go out for a walk to get some fresh air or take a 10-minute power nap. This helps me reset my brain and feel more motivated and energized again.
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Limit your work. When working from home, there’s a risk of working too many hours. This is quite common because your work is right there and you might not have anything better to do and are home anyways. But it’s important to stick to a normal working schedule (8 hours per day max.) and take time for yourself after that.
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Work in a separate area: This will allow you to focus on your work and avoid any distractions. Plus, it’s healthy to separate the comfort and intimacy of your home from your working area.
I’ve heard from a lot of people that a designated work station is best but I find that I enjoy a variety of places to work. A regular schedule made it hard for me to get tasks done because I was always looking at a clock. Now I bring my work whereever I go and I do different hours everyday, depending on client meetings and calls. I really thrive on that freedom.
I think there are a lot of distractions at home so I try to make my home office as distraction-free as possible and make sure not to work anywhere else in the house but my desk.
Agree! I make sure to sit properly on my desk or kitchen table, never work on my bed/couch as it really makes me sleepy and my productivity goes down. Also, I write a very detailed and realistic to-do list and try to check off all the boxes on it every day.
I’ve actually found for myself that despite all of the distractions I’m way more productive at home. Maybe it’s because I feel responsible in front of my boss for delivering results on these days… plus the chances that my team lead checks on my progress are higher for days that I’ve been working from home compared to when I’m at the office.