I don’t get this question as much anymore because a lot of businesses are taking the “flex” model meaning more people are working from home. But I still get it occassionally and, well, this blog post wouldn’t exist without it SO let’s dig in.

I’ll be honest. I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with working from home. There are a few components that make me more drawn to working from home rather than an office, but there are a few things it does psychologically. Yes, my personality is a bit more introverted so I can spend time alone and, truthfully, I enjoy working alone. But at the same time I feel as though I’m not normal because I don’t have a typical type of job. I sometimes believe people don’t take my job as seriously in discussion because I don’t have 33 complaints to toss in about “office life.” Additionally, there isn’t a whole lot of positive reinforcement about the work being done and it can feel frustrating. I spend 95% of my time working from my house which means I don’t get to interact with coworkers other than calls.

On the other hand, there are days I feel incredibly lucky despite all the struggles that I get to be my own boss. I also get to make my own schedule on any given day which means doing things when others are typically at work. There are many joys of a nearly empty Target or grocery store. I’ve learned quite a few things in my time working at home so the best way I could interpret this question is by passing along some nuggets of wisdom.

Keep a Routine

While it’s very tempting to just stay in sweatpants and lay around all day, it’s really not condusive for productivity. If you can be productive that way by all means, but I just can’t. I established a routine in order to set my day on track just as I would if I was still going to an office. It’s important to keep balance and do things just as you would normally whether you’re working from home or taking classes from home. I make sure to go to the gym first thing in the morning, shower, and then have coffee while I breakdown the important tasks of the day. Showering, doing my hair, and sometimes putting on makeup makes me feel normal and better about myself. The time I spend doing these things helps clear my mind and adjust. Don’t get me wrong, some more relaxing days there is nothing like no bra, hair tossed up, and rocking sweatpants, but it’s not something I can do every day.

Keep Track of the Hours

Working from home on your own means not necessarily having set hours like an office would provide. This is hard with my personality type because I don’t know when to shut off. There isn’t a defined time where I unwind, decompress, and then just enjoy myself at home because I am there all the time. Another issue is the guilt. I struggle with this a lot. Some days are more productive than others and on the less productive days I’m prone to overcompensating by working later. This kind of goes back to keeping a schedule, but it isn’t always easy. At a certain point in the early evening I walk away from work email. This helps me avoid taking on a new task or becoming stressed out. What I do enjoy is being able to work based on my creativity and the fact those I’m working with know just when I will be answering them.

Breaks Are Essential

I don’t mean breaks where I watch television or get “lazy.” Breaks are important for maintaining flow. Just as anyone would take a break in an office, taking a break to grab a snack or my lunch is key. I still meal prep all of my snacks and lunches on Sunday making my life incredibly easy on busier days and even more simple on regular ones. Even if I just end up eating right in front of my computer once again, I don’t have to worry about it. There really is no need to make some extravagant meal during the day even though I could if I wanted to. Although, I have been prone to stress baking from time to time when things just weren’t…meshing. There is something to be said about utilizing The Pomodoro Technique. This time management system asks that a person works for 25 minutes and take a 5 minute break. These 5 minute breaks can be used for smaller tasks like making a cup of coffee or cleaning up.

Make Time For Myself

I’m not the best when it comes to Treat Yo Self. Okay that’s not true. I’m prone to a good shopping spree here and there. But when I say to make time for myself, I have to try much harder than most probably would. I’m not a relaxer by nature. I’m constantly moving and constantly doing something. Rarely will you see me lounging around watching television but it will happen. That said, this is where I struggle the most with the guilt. I constantly feel as though I am wasting my day away when I “relax.” The reason it’s important to make time for myself is because it helps my productivity. There is a difference between being productive and being busy. I find the more overworked and burnt out I feel, the more mistakes I’m making and re-doing needs to be done. Plus I really do enjoy my time at the gym (when I’m not tempted to check work email), doing pilates or yoga, or catching up on a podcast.