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This is one of the most common questions that I get asked, “How do you balance your work and home life?” The answer to this question really depends on what industry you are in. In my case, I am a blogger who works from home. My blog focuses on the male names that start with C industry which means there is no set schedule for when things need to be done. To help me stay productive throughout the day, I have found 9 tips to successfully work from home!
Tip #01: Create a schedule. Even though there is no set work time, you can still have a daily routine in place that will help keep your day flowing smoothly and efficiently. Check out the sample below to see what my typical weekday looks like!
-Wake up at __ (usually around 0700)
-Work on blog posts from __ AM – Noon or until I finish one post if it takes less than an hour; then take break for lunch and rest of the afternoon off
-Stretch before getting back to blogging after noon which means taking breaks every hour or 30 minutes when needed based on how much energy I feel during the day. Stretch by walking outside or doing yoga poses inside while listening to music
Tip #One: Get organized. You may work from home, but that doesn’t mean you should be sitting around all day in your pajamas with a tub of ice cream and Netflix on the TV screen. I always recommend getting out of the house for at least one hour per day to maintain healthy social connections. The more solitary our jobs become, the less opportunity we have to interact face-to-face with others.
If you can get an office away from your living space (even if it is just a corner or part of your kitchen table), then make sure that place is impeccably clean and well stocked so that when clients come over they feel important rather than intruding on your personal life by entering your home.
Tip #Two: Keep your work area well stocked with everything you need to get the job done, or at least close enough for when you’re in a pinch and don’t have time to wait for an order from Amazon Prime. I personally keep lots of pens, paperclips, highlighters etc. nearby so that all my other supplies are still accessible but not immediately seen by guests who come into my workspace unexpectedly (which has happened more than once).
It also helps me stay organized because it is easy to know where things should be stored without having to think about it while answering emails or on conference calls. By maintaining some semblance of order in my space I am able to focus on what I am doing and not get distracted by my need for a pen or paperclips.
Tip #Seven: Get out of the house! It is natural to feel some pressure when you are in your home all day, but it will do wonders for you if you take time to go outside. I recommend taking short walks around the block every hour or so – it can help with focus, concentration and even just getting those pesky endorphins going on really long days.
You could also add an exercise routine into your schedule that allows self-care along with work hours to keep up energy levels while working at home (hit Netflix after!). This might sound like too much at first but believe me, once you start feeling energized again, you’ll be glad that you set an hour or two aside each day to focus on your health.
Tip #Eight: Get organized! Find what works best for you, but make sure to take time every so often and organize yourself. Personally, I like using this app called Things where it helps me stay on top of my tasks with a calendar and reminders – which is perfect when working from home because there are no other indicators telling us we need to move onto the next task.
It can also help if a friend or family member stops by unexpectedly (or even semi-expectedly) – they might not know how to find things in your house otherwise while looking around for post-it notes around the place 😉
Tip #Nine: Ask for a raise! If you feel like you’re not being compensated fairly, take the time to talk with your boss about it. Explain why you deserve more money and how what they offer is unfair in comparison which can help them understand where this might be coming from and hopefully improve their offer if they don’t already see it as unreasonable or that there are other ways of helping out when compensation isn’t something they have control over.
Avoiding conflict at work usually means avoiding talking with our bosses altogether – whether about an issue we care deeply about or just small details on projects going wrong. But while this may seem easier than opening up, staying silent has long-term consequences that can have an impact on your career.
After reading that, you might be wondering what is the best way to approach a boss and talk about working from home when they don’t seem like they want to hear it?
There are many ways of getting their attention: sending them emails with information about studies done on remote work, scheduling meetings at times when employees would be at-home anyway (for example if you know they always get back from lunch around noon), or waiting for a day where there isn’t much going on so that you can sit down with them in person and ask for permission as well as discuss some strategies.
On top of these three common sense tips for approaching someone who doesn’t currently seem open to the idea, there are a few tactics that you can use if they start getting suspicious of your intentions.
It’s important not to bring up work from home in any context other than an email or meeting with them; for example don’t make a comment about it during lunch break when you’re at their office. This will just add fuel to the fire and might lead them thinking “they want me out!” even more intensely. Similarly, set up meetings specifically to talk about remote work as opposed to scheduling regular performance reviews which could come off as disingenuous because people usually assume those discussions are meant primarily for discussing future plans.
In general, all employers want is someone who will show up and do the job; they don’t care how you get it done. So, if your employer is open to working remotely for some of the time then that’s great! However, remember not to be too pushy when asking them about changing or adding remote work because this could come off as suspicious. In general, there are a few tactics that you can use if things start getting suspicious of your intentions. But keep in mind that what most employers really want is someone who will show up and do the job – so showing interest in any way other than an email or meeting with them might make them think “they’re trying to pull one over on me!” even more intensely. Similarly, set up meetings specifically to talk
