Working at home is something that a lot of us do these days. The culture that used to be in our offices has changed in the last decade and many companies want their employees to be able to work from home in a flexible environment. Working from home is also particularly useful for Mums who often really need that flexibility.
As well as this, you might have decided to break away from your corporate life all together and as a result you may now work for yourself from the comfort of your sofa.
Working at home can be the most amazing thing in the world, but it can also be a huge challenge. You might not have access to the resources you used to such as a specialist IR35 accountant or a suite of IT technicians, and you will largely need to fend for yourself. To keep yourself on track as well as success working from home we have some helpful tips for you today…
-
Get started early
The best thing to do when working from home is the start the day as early as you can. Remember the time you used to spend on the commute for the morning and take this time instead to make a cup of coffee, some toast, and sit down to start the day. The earlier you get going the better it will be.
-
Get ready for the day
If you struggle to be motivated to work in your pjs, don’t wear them! Get ready for the day in a nice dress and your favourite hairstyle. You don’t need to put makeup on but make yourself feel as if you are heading to the office and it will change the way you think about the day.
-
Structure your day
It is so easy to be distracted at home. You might notice a dirty dish here, some dust there, and next thing you know you have spent most of the morning doing nothing. Write yourself a to do list and stick to it. Check emails once in the morning and once in the afternoon, and set tasks for yourself.
-
Choose a dedicated work space
Although now and again working in bed is amazing, it can also make you feel way too relaxed. Be sure to choose a workspace you can work in effectively and this will allow you to get into the zone.
-
Don’t stay at home
If you find being at home too hard, go somewhere else! Head to the library, a local cafe, or even to the park and work there instead.
-
Avoid social media
Social media is like a procrastination machine. Don’t open social media at all when you are working at home, even at lunch time, because it is too easy to get carried away!
-
Commit to more
Commit to do more work than you would in the office. Being at home allows you to save the morning commute and this extra time is time for you to get more done.
-
Work on your own time
If you know that you work best first thing in the morning and last thing at night, make these your hours. Don’t try to force regular office hours because often these won’t work for you.