There are numerous lessons I’ve learned as a result of working from home, but the productivity lessons may be the most useful.
Prior to social distancing and working from home, I would say that my productivity systems worked well. Then, I was sent home for two weeks back in March, and have been working from home ever since!
At first, I thought I could continue my regular routines and everything would work itself out. Ha! Was I wrong or what?
In the comfort of my home, the distractions abound, and it is easy to work more hours than when going to an office every day. Plus, between social distancing and the lack of social events, I found myself not even going outside much at all!
After a month, I realized that I had to change my habits and my mindset to ensure that I maintained a healthy level of productivity.
Lessons I’ve Learned Working From Home
Claim Your Space
I have a great office at home, but before social distancing, it was not very functional. In April, I took the time to really set up a desk space that would provide comfort and functionality. This included purchasing: an ergonomic desk chair, a laptop stand, wireless keyboard, and trackpad.
Plus, I moved my comfy poof to prop my legs occasionally and I purchased a ring light I could clamp onto my desk for Zoom meetings. One of the first issues we tackled thanks to all of us working at home plus online school was spotty internet! We called in our service provider to help and we now have extenders to maintain stronger connections throughout the house.
Setting up my own office space helped me get away from the distractions of the kitchen, television, and bedroom. Sometimes, I move around the house or work outside, but I always begin my day at my desk because that space provides me with the focus to be productive.
Get Ready & Eat Breakfast
One thing that going to an office every day forced me to do was get presentable! Working from home makes it so very easy to simply roll out of bed, make a cup of caffeine, and to hop on the computer.
Psychologically, getting ready for work also helped my mind shift from the personal to the professional realm. After abandoning all of my routines at the beginning of social distancing, I quickly realized the importance of getting ready for my workday.
The simple act of showering, eating breakfast, and then going to my office space provides a good mindset for focused work. I even make sure to change from pajamas to a loungewear set and do my hair (which is quite handy for impromptu Zoom meetings).
Eat That Frog
I read a book back in 2013 that talked about getting your hardest task done first every day called “Eat That Frog.” Though I have applied the concept occasionally, I find this concept incredibly important when working from home.
Starting with my most immediate task really helps to jumpstart my productivity. As the day goes by, and I begin to smell foods and I hear the kids outside, my focus begins to wane. I continue to work, but I am most productive first thing in the morning.
Recognizing this, I make sure to ‘Eat That Frog’ within the first couple of hours of my workday. I also try not to schedule any meetings until about two hours into my workday, so I can be sure to tackle the most important task(s) before I lose focus.
Plan Your Breaks
For some unknown reason, I tend to plow through my usual work schedule at home. Early on, I found myself eating lunch at 4 pm or none at all. I also did not get up and take breaks.
In the office I take a lunch break, I walk around a few times a day and take a tea break or two. Why? Because my brain needs the rest and my body needs the movement. Working from home should not stop me from those same activities.
So, when planning my day, I schedule a lunch break, and I actually go to the dining table to eat. I go outside and walk around at least once a day, and I visit everyone in my house or play with the baby at least once within the work day.
Stop!
The biggest and most important thing I have learned is that I have to STOP working. My work clock ends at 5 pm, but early on I found myself picking up my laptop whenever I had the notion. I would send a quick email or work through a quick task.
While it seems harmless, I found myself exhausted after a short while. Living and working in the same space was causing me to work more than when I went to an office every day.
Plus, in six months’ time, I hadn’t taken a single day off!
Honestly, I knew I needed to take time off, but I also felt that working from home provided breaks. Turns out that was the wrong mindset. I need to take as many breaks as I would normally going to the office every day.
I finally took a few days off, and the rest and relaxation helped me be more productive once I returned to work.
I am still navigating our new normal, but applying these lessons I’ve learned is helping me find balance. Finding balance encourages both my creativity and productivity.
Now, I feel that I have a handle on this working from home thing, and though I will be happy to return to the office, I don’t think I will go back to working at the office 5 days a week.
