Working from Home 101 : Productivity Tips from Corporate & Creative Professionals

I recently made the transition from working in an office to working from home, and let’s just say it took some getting used to. Although I had worked from home at my previous job for 2.5 years, it was like starting all over when I woke up on Monday morning and realized that I didn’t have an office to go to and that I was now waking up in my work place. I think most people think people who work from home have it made, but it’s not always as glamorous as it seems, but don’t get me wrong, it does have it’s perks! 

I would go as far to say that working from home requires more discipline than working in an office. It’s not all pjs and laptops in bed, you actually have to have a little more structure if you plan to have a productive day. One of the first things I did was to make sure I had a designated work area in my apartment. If you are new to my blog, I live in a studio apartment so space is pretty limited, but I’ve managed to make great use of my space. My apartment came with two closets, but since one was large enough to hold everything, I decided to turn the second closet into an office space ( More on that in my next post).

Next to the the actual workspace, I’d say one of the most critical ways to ensure productivity is to make sure you have all of the supplies necessary to do your job (ie, monitors, stationary, office supplies).

Still in need of best practices, for working from home, I decided to reach out to a couple of friends and fellow creatives, who are no stranger to working from home, for some productivity tips.

Here’s what they had to say :

Tiffany’s Work From Home Tips:

1. Create a designated workspace away from your bedroom, the tv and any distractions. Decorate it so it's a calming yet functional space for you to focus solely on work and not be distracted by it when you're trying to relax after work time. 

2. Maintain a work schedule but don't be too rigid. The best thing about working from home is flexibility! You want to get into a routine so you don't find yourself binging Netflix in the middle of the day, but you also don't have to be so hard on yourself everyday. Want to sleep in until 10? Do it! Just make up for the extra time by working a little later that night, or don't, if you've worked efficiently and have gotten everything done. With that said, also make sure you're not ONLY working all the time. Set a stopping time to separate your work from your personal time. 

3. Get out of the house a few days a week. Work from a co-working space or your local coffee shop to get a change of scenery. It's nice to mix it up and work from somewhere different and get out of the house sometimes. I find it helps me to work more efficiently when I'm around others working as well. 

To learn more about Tiffany and creative design services, visit www.726SQFT.com

Jewel’s Work From Home Tips:

1. Keep your morning routine. Much like my normal morning routine when I go to the office, I wake up, take a shower, eat a full breakfast, and get dressed. Keeping a normal morning routine helps to bring structure to the work day from the start.

2. Stay hydrated. I like to keep my water nearby to make sure I stay hydrated throughout the day.

3. Take a break. Even though I’m working, I think it’s important to take a designated break for lunch and a walk outside to keep my blood flowing and stomach full.

To learn more about Jewel and her blog, visit www.AfterSundayDinner.com

Nsharin’s Work From Home Tips:

1. Make a daily/weekly checklist. Create a checklist of what needs to get done. Doing so allows me to stay on task and shoot for a goal. Sometimes wfh daily can become monotonous and it can be easy to become distracted but creating a checklist is gratifying to be able to check it off as things get done.

2. Create a comfortable work space. This is where you will spend most of your time so make sure it's cozy, organized, and has everything you need so you are able to get right to work. Invest in a comfy chair or consider an exercise ball to work on your posture and core while you work.

3. Snack healthy. It's very easy to get caught up in work when at home there aren't co-workers popping by your desk to invite you to grab lunch or office parties with snacks, so it's very easy to get into get-it-done mode and either not eating at all or grabbing quick unhealthy snacks so it's best to make sure you keep healthy snack options within arms reach.

To keep up with Nsharin’s fun family adventures, follow her on instagram @rickettedlyawesome

Have a happy work week !

Sincerely,