Many people realize that taking the plunge into working from home can be a considerable boon to their lifestyles, thanks to unconventional work hours and the solitude of one’s personal life.
Here are some critical best practices to help new home workers get the most out of their newfound freedom.
1) Create a dedicated workspace. This is an important step since you’ll want to ensure no distractions while you’re working. Some benefits of homing yourself amid paper stacks and dust bunnies include:
• No one will bother you with requests to eat or watch TV.
• You can put on your pajamas if you want, or not bother to shower.
2) Establish boundaries for work time vs. home time. While it’s essential to regularly interact with friends and family to keep your personal life thriving, it should go without saying that work time is for WORK, and you should not be giving out work advice or pitching in with house chores while the clock’s ticking.
3) Set up a schedule for yourself. If you want to make sure you get enough sleep, don’t fall into the trap of staying up past your bedtime in a trance of Excel sheets.
4) Make sure you have a dedicated phone line for work calls. And don’t give out the number to anyone who isn’t expecting it. Otherwise, you’re going to start getting prank faxes and pizzas on your front porch.
5) You MUST take breaks! Sitting in front of a computer all day is not suitable for your health. While taking one too many bathroom breaks in the office might make you hip-checked into a supply cabinet by your officemate, there’s no reason to let that happen at home when you can take an extra-long break in the privacy of your potty.
6) Avoid gorging on meals during work hours. It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re lost in the rhythm of a delicious meal, but it will only make your belly feel bloated and not your brain feel clever.
7) Schedule time for exercise! You should try biking or running to the office every morning, either before you start working or at lunch – it will keep your blood flowing and fuel up those brain cells.
8) Don’t forget to have fun! At home, you don’t have the boss hovering over your shoulder, so you can finally relax! Try playing video games or doing something nice for yourself, like watching TV or eating ice cream.