How To Successfully Work From Home

As most of the world is currently on stay-at-home orders due to the Coronavirus, much of the workforce is working from home for the first time. For some it is a smooth transition, maybe you teleworked one day a week already. But there are many that are struggling to get into a good routine.

In a corporate environment you aren’t pulled in to family disagreements, homework questions, or have the temptations to watch just one more show. Experience has taught me a few tried and true lessons about how to successfully navigate working from home. As a graphic designer I’ve often had the flexibility to work from home and have almost exclusively done so for the last 7 years. I can’t guarantee that these will work for everyone, but it may give you some ideas to try out. I wish you the greatest success!

Have a Dedicated Workspace

This can be an office but might also be a corner of your bedroom or your kitchen table. Surround yourself with inspiration. I have postcards from places I’ve loved visiting above my desk. Also have a secondary location for when the weather is nice. You can use your patio, balcony or sunroom for a change of scenery (bonus – can be quieter than inside for important meetings/phone calls). I think of this as my conference room space.

Keep a Schedule (with flexibility)

Be clear on when your office hours are. But also take advantage of the benefits of working from home. I recharge by working out or walking our dog in the middle of the day. Then I just eat lunch at my desk. But for some they may like a later start to the day and do something that feeds their soul in the morning.

Turn on Music or a Podcast

I feel strongly that the places where we work can inhibit or encourage creativity. Some tasks require quiet, but when doing creative work or even more mundane or repetitive tasks music or a podcast automatically sets a mood. All you have to do is decide which mood. Or don’t – change it every day.

Declutter Your Workspace

I know I’m in the minority but I don’t drink coffee (much to my husband’s bewilderment, he’s from Seattle). My morning routine involves a shower, breakfast…and most importantly cleaning up my desk. I don’t always have time for a thorough job, but organizing even one stack of items or doing a small task that clears something of my desk puts me in a good mood to tackle my day.

Set Limits on Interruptions

One of the biggest challenges to working from home is keeping your work and home lives separate. Children, spouses, and roommates have no idea if you are talking to an important client, your boss, or your Aunt Jean. Create a way to signal them when you are not to be disturbed unless there is an emergency. Use a ribbon on your door, a sign that your children help you make, or something as simple as a sticky note on the corner of your computer.

Move

Don’t keep your snacks and drinks handy. Make yourself get up to retrieve them. Place your printer on the opposite side of the room. I even stopped keeping a recycle bin in my office so I have to take it to my kitchen. If you don’t need to take notes or have your calendar/work samples at your fingertips, consider taking brainstorming meetings while going for a walk outside.

Find Your Switch

Everyone has something that makes them more focused and feel like they are in the office. For some it is as simple as shutting the office door or getting dressed in more than your yoga pants. For me it’s shoes. And I don’t mean high heeled shoes, I’m kinder to my feet than that. It could be flats, tennis shoes or even hard soled slippers. It just makes me feel like I’m in the “office” and I have a more productive day.

Communicate

Hopefully either your manager or you as the manager has either weekly or daily check-ins. Various video conferencing tools have made working from home a breeze. But working remotely requires you to over communicate. Make sure all priorities are clearly stated and expectations are not only met but exceeded.

Socialize

Don’t just limit yourself to straight up work meetings. After hours video conferencing for a happy hour with your coworkers or your network can be good for your soul.