10am
It would be so easy to just switch on the TV and catch up on some Netflix series or even finish watching a film we started over the weekend, but right now its one of my most productive times during the day; as I work from home.
It is Monday morning, I have done the nursery drop off and my other son is asleep – timed to perfection, he naps between 90 – 120 minutes every morning so once he is asleep, I check my app (self-confessed Todoist addict here) and I give myself a target of getting a minimum of 5 things done.
What To Do?!
I normally attempt to do a mixture of the following during my morning free time; blitz tidy up, throw various ingredients into the slow cooker for dinner later, write my articles/blogs, check social media, complete client work or walk the dog. This, of course, all depends on my work deadlines and special family events. (It’s nice having the choice to choose).
I definitely think you need to have the willpower to want to achieve things to work from home. It is not for everyone.
my 6 top tips to successfully work from home…
- Have a dedicated desk/ room for your work. It is important to then “close the door” and spend quality family time when work is done with your loved ones, human or pet (in my case it’s both!) Also a tidy desk is a tidy mind so I would recommend having a declutter and getting organised.
- Do get dressed– Everyone loves a good pyjama day, but you will feel better with a proper breakfast, coffee (lots of it for me) and getting dressed to your start your day.
- Define your hours– it is a good idea to have regular hours when clients know that you are working so they can reach you. Also, this helps with having routines at home with childcare etc.
- Do write a To Do List– as I mentioned I love Todoist and I use it for all my personal and work lists. It works across all my devices and I can quickly add things and even better make things off!
- Track your Time– I use Toggl to track all my ‘working time’ be it paid or time spent on my company. It is professional to send a timesheet to your clients and also gives you a solid idea how many hours you are actually working.
- If you feel lonely get out fo the house– It can be lonely, working away on your own at home, and especially if you have been used to a large office environment. (This might take a while to get used to so don’t panic and stick with it!) I like to pop out to various coffee shops for a “posh” coffee several times per week and work from there to have a change of scenery, meet clients, associates and also friends! The nice thing is that I am in charge of my time so as long as I get my work done I can have an extended lunch with friends and not worry about the boss!
If you would like to discuss how I could help you with your work like balance then contact me.
