6 Tips While Working from Home

Happy Friday! 

Life is definitely different right now, but I am thankful for the opportunity to work from home. I know that not everyone else has that option, or has lost their jobs because of what is going on, so it is very much a blessing to have the job I do. Working from home is new territory for me, so I thought I would round up what I have found to be the most helpful while working remotely to stay productive.

ONE || HAVE A DESIGNATED WORK SPACE

You don't need an actual office - just a designated space that will keep you productive. I actually started at my dining room table as I don't have a designated office. This worked well for about a month, but I recently moved my workspace to where you see it is now. Which is technically in my living room and was our puzzle table, but this seemed to be a better fit for me for the time being. I would be lying if I said I sit here all day every day, that's not always the case. If I am just responding to emails or doing professional development, or anything that I don't need dual monitors for, then I will relocate to my bed or to my couch to be more comfortable. However, this can demotivate me sometimes, so for the most part I'm at my actual "desk" and I definitely feel like it has helped me to stay productive during the day.

TWO || GET READY FOR THE DAY

I may be in the minority here, but I am still getting dressed, doing my hair, and makeup almost every day. It's definitely tempting to stay in pajamas or wear sweatpants, and not do my hair or makeup, but I know getting ready for the day does make me personally more productive throughout the day. In addition, I can have a virtual meeting at a moment's notice sometimes, and I want to be prepared for that at all times. I've found that this plan works best for me: On days I know I am going to have meeting(s), I get dressed and ready for the day. I may have casual jeans on and wearing slippers, but from the camera view, I look completely professional. As for the days I don't have any meetings scheduled, I still get dressed but may wear more comfy clothes, have my hair in a low pony or bun, and omit makeup for that day. And this process has allowed me to remain professional, while also taking advantage of being comfortable as I work in a remote environment.

THREE || STICK TO YOUR NORMAL ROUTINE AND/OR PLAN YOUR DAY/WEEK

It's easy to want to sleep in and start your work day later, but I recommend sticking to your normal schedule. Most days I am still getting up when I normally would to start my work day at 7:30am. I do this for two reasons: one - I don't want to get in the habit of sleeping in and then having difficulty readjusting when I return to the office. And two - I like getting off of work at 4:30pm. It's the same schedule as my boyfriend, and I like us being done at the same time.

In addition, planning or outlining my tasks for the day, and/or outlining my workload for the week, it helps keep me on track and busy. It also helps for those slower times to spread out your duties, especially for someone in a similar position to me, as some of the stuff that were part of my duties involved actually being on campus. Overall, I like to have a good idea of what projects I'm working on throughout the week and it helps me take my time with my work, but also stay on top of things. I'm not only working efficiently, but I'm giving the best quality I can in my work. 

FOUR || CONTINUE TO MEAL PREP, OR START DOING SO

Being at home = extra opportunities to snack and eat less healthy

For me, that's an issue, so I've found continuing our normal weekly meal prep is essential to stay on track. My boyfriend, Michael is considered essential as he works at a water plant, so we would still meal prep for him anyway, so it made sense to continue doing my lunches in that as well. If you aren't meal prepping, I would highly suggest it! Especially while working remotely, this actually gives me a full hour to relax during my lunch break since my food is already prepared! 

FIVE || TAKE BREAKS, GET UP, AND/OR GO OUTSIDE

One thing my bosses made sure to encourage us to do while working remotely was to take breaks, and get up every now and then. They reminded us while working in the office, you have many more social interactions that take part in your day you don't even notice, so it's good to keep that in mind.  You don't have to work every single minute of your eight hour shift. You'll get up to use the restroom, get a snack (hopefully healthy!), stand up and stretch, etc. So being mindful of that allows you some grace while working from home and not tied down to your workspace the entire day.

SIX || ALLOW THIS EXPERIENCE TO HELP YOU BE MORE PRODUCTIVE IN YOUR DAILY LIFE

Since working from home, I've found that the time I would normally commute to work, I can make my bed and straighten up from the night before. In addition, the time I would commute home from work, I am trying to continue to wash the dishes I used that day, and prep our lunches for the next day. Or starting a load of laundry in the morning before I begin work, and then putting it away at the end of the day. These little things may not seem like much, but to me, it's shown that if I got up just 20 minutes earlier every day, I can be even more productive at home! With that said, I hope to try to give myself more time in the mornings once we return to the office to ensure I'm being as productive as I can - at home too!

Those are my top six tips for working from home! Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions, or leave comment down below stating what has helped you during this time (working from home or not!).