While I’m extremely grateful for the flexibility that working at home gives me, as you probably noticed at some point during quarantine (if you did WFH),it can be really hard to be disciplined and stick to a routine. That being said, I do feel confident in what I’ve learned about working at home and mixing home life with productivity. I’m also grateful that WFH is an option for me right now. For anyone struggling to establish a work from home routine, here are my tips.
+ Create a routine
Just like when you were heading into work, you need a routine to feel sane. I wake up, put on my workout clothes, go to my Lagree class, drive home, shower and do my morning skincare routine, make my coffee, read my bible for 15 – 20 min, then start on work, emails, and that day’s to-do list. Rolling from your bed to my laptop doesn’t work well for me and I’m actually not as productive. If I prioritize a morning routine that makes me feel good mentally, spiritually, and physically I’m able to work from a place of clarity. Set your alarm as you did for your normal job, get your workout in, and do whatever else BEFORE work that makes you feel alive.
+ Find a space to work
While I know not everyone has the space to create a new room, find something that will work. A corner of your closet or bedroom, a make-shift desk in the garage or living room – just find a somewhat quiet place where you can focus. A big part of this, too, is knowing yourself. I know I can work fine from the couch, but not as efficiently from my bed. When Clay and I both work from our apartment living room, I usually use these noise-canceling headphones. If I’m working while traveling, I love this backpack.
+ Get somewhat ready
My working-from-home vibe can be anything from full makeup and a cute outfit if I have meetings or need to shoot content, to bare face and loungewear. Depends on the day. My advice is to change out of whatever you sleep in and at least brush your teeth, wash your face, and switch up the outfit. It presents a shift in your from sleep to productivity mode. Don’t forget that I share my outfits here. To see my 5 min makeup routine, watch this reel.
Pro tip: If you want to be in sweats and have a bunch of video calls, only put yourself together waist up. No one has to know you’re rocking leggings.
+ Manage your time
I used to really struggle with working on all of the things I could see needed to be done before I would actually get any work done, like cleaning up the apartment before opening my laptop. When there’s laundry, dishes to put away, and whatever other chores you need to get done, it can be hard to focus on solely work. It is impossible for me to focus on work while living in a mess. I work best from a space that is organized and an enjoyable atmosphere. What can help is time blocking. Set an alarm on your phone for anywhere from 30-60 minutes and put away all distractions, including your phone, until that alarm goes off. Once it does, give yourself a 5-minute break and then repeat until all tasks are complete. If you’re attempting to do some house projects before/after work, you can do the same thing with the alarm to make sure you’re saving time for actual work. I’m also learning how to batch tasks and utilize my google calendar for scheduling and keeping on task. This is especially helpful when you do need to manage a home and work situation simultaneously.
+ Limit social media
Limit yourself to the breaks. I’ve also set up timers on my phone so I don’t mindlessly scroll. I try to use social media more to create and post content versus consume and scroll. Your brain is not be as efficient when it’s going from task to scroll to task, it ends up wasting time, and there are plenty of medical studies that now show a direct correlation between an increase in anxiety and depression and social media exposure. Save the scrolling for breaks or before/after working hours.
+ Have go-to meals and snacks
Salads or some sort of protein veggie bowl are our favorite healthy meals during the week, but they still need to be quick and efficient. Click here for my latest favorite salad. We have several go-to’s so we can take a break to make something and eat without wasting too much work time. Snack wise, here’s what we keep on hand: veggies and hummus, an assortment of different flavored almonds, and Optivia bars (my mom has seen incredible results with this diet and I’ve loved them for convenient meals, s’mores bars and the brownies are my fave).
+ Give yourself grace
Done is better than perfect. I have to keep reminding myself this, especially while I don’t yet have a team helping me manage two brands and businesses online as well as my day job. One thing I’ve learned as an entrepreneur is that the work is never done. There are always roadblocks or hiccups that pop up and that’s ok. This isn’t all up to you, even if there is an element of truth to that statement that makes it feel true. I’m constantly reminding myself that there is grace for my race today and that I can learn new skills as well as reach out and ask for help from others who know more than I do.
There is so much pressure in our western world to “do more and be more” along with the inherent belief that “it’s all about you and it’s all up to you.” What a pernicious lie we’ve believed. When I wrestle with this pressure and performance, I have to release the outcome to God, trust in Him, and replace the lie with His truth. One scripture that helps me with this is 2 Timothy 1:9, “He has saved us and called us, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” I hope that truth also encourages you.
Click here to shop my marble laptop case.
Let me know below what other tips you would add.