Believe it or not, some of the Boss team actually works from home!
Be it Colorado, Lubbock, or here in San Antonio, we understand what it’s like to work remotely.
At first, it’s great! You get to wear your pj’s, eat snacks, and there is never any traffic! But at some point, these initial benefits begin to hurt you more than they help you.
We’ve all learned this the hard way. And we learned some helpful tricks along the way, too!
Get Out of Your Pajamas
While it seems really cool at first, you quickly learn that being “comfy” leads to unproductivity… and naps.
So, just like you would for a normal job, you should get ready before you start working. That means you need to shower, get dressed, do your hair (and/or makeup) and anything else that’s a part of your normal morning routine.
Something we like to do here is ease ourselves into the workday with a cup of coffee and our favorite content. Give yourself time to enjoy your coffee and the next best podcast before you go headfirst into today’s tasks and problems.
Set Some Boundaries
*** FYI: what works great for us may not work as well for you. It may take some time to figure out your perfect routine. ***
Sure, it’s all rainbows and unicorns at first, but it won’t take long for you to realize that you’ve wasted 2.42 hours of your workday snacking, cleaning, and getting distracted. To solve this, you have to set some boundaries.
Things like “no errands” and “no excessive snacking” should be included. Or, if you have little ones, consider how you might find time to power through your work (Nap time or playtime? Nanny? Coffee shops?). When does your workday start and end? When is lunchtime? It might help to plan out your ideal day-to-day routine and keep it posted somewhere to remind you to stay on track.
Manage Your Time Wisely
It’s also important to establish what needs to be done each day.
At the beginning of each workweek and/or workday, gather a list of to-do’s and set them right next to your computer. Consider organizing by priority and checking off tasks as you complete them.
You could also time block your calendar or planner based on your weekly tasks (check emails, write content, work on a certain project).
There are a plethora of time management tricks out there, so try a few until you find one that fits.
Have a Dedicated Work Zone
Working from bed is great at first, but it gets old pretty quick.
If you don’t already have one, we definitely recommend setting up your own workspace at home. For some, that might be a separate room in the house dedicated solely to work (and no distractions or family members allowed) or just a desk in part of a room. Make this space yours and modify it to fit your needs.
Even if you have a dedicated work zone in your home, sometimes you just need to get out of the house to be productive. (We feel you.) Explore your city and find a few super hip coffee shops to hide out in when the going gets rough. You can also find a cool working space or shady table at a local park. You do you!
Working at home is not all fun and games. It’s tough! But so are you, so go get ’em, tiger!
Be sure to check out this month’s newsletter for more helpful tricks for working from home!