How to thrive while working from home

Now more than ever people are working from home, in fact we are being encouraged to do so. I've been a self-employed freelancer for a few years now and have been working from my small but adequate office space in my home for over 6yrs now so I feel well versed in the work from home lifestyle. There are certainly pros and cons to working from home but it offers a lot of freedom once you get into a good routine and I find it works really well for me. So I thought I would share a few tips I've learnt along the way and if your making the switch to working from home hopefully these will be useful.

1. Create a daily to-do list

Having a structure to your workday is really important and having a clear idea of your daily objectives will really help you to stay focused and productive. Without having anyone physically there to supervise or oversee your work, motivation has to come from you so knowing your deadlines and prioritising the most important tasks is key. You can also break your day up into activity blocks, allowing breaks from work, including time for lunch, exercise and a spot of mindfulness - this is also important because you don't want to be staring at the same four walls all day. 

2. Keep a good morning routine

Working remotely often means more freedom to set your own working hours but personally, I find it best sticking to the same normal morning routine you have always had otherwise things can quickly slip. It's very easy to start sleeping in a little longer or staying in your pyjamas all day but that's not overly conducive to productivity and the great thing about working from home is the quicker you get things done the more free time you have. Aim to get up, get dressed, eat a good breakfast, maybe do a short workout or have a little peace and quiet before getting started. It's also a good idea to take some time out, maybe do a little meditation, yoga or if you feeling really flush could use a human touch recliner chair for a relaxing massage.

3. Get these WFH must-have apps

There are some really useful and time-saving apps out there that help manage tasks and keep you in touch with other team members or friends and it's time to get App savvy. 

Asana - this super useful management tool helps to create to-do-list, reminders and collaborative project boards with team members and best of all the basic version of this app is free. 

Google Calendar - another very useful and simple to use app to help schedule and manage your day effectively and is free to use. 

Spotify - Music can actually help your productivity, as well as help, lift the mood so why not put together some fun playlists for your new work from home lifestyle? Spotify is my favourite free music streaming app and it's really easy to use. 

Whatsapp - most people will already know and use this phone messaging app but if you don't it's perfect for group messages as well as calling others overseas as it's free to use through the app.

4. Have a dedicated office space

This is really important, having a designated space to work, it doesn't need to be a big space but working from your sofa or a kitchen table, while may be adequate in the interim, it isn't a long term solution. Having a separate space also helps you to set boundaries between your personal and work life and can help you create a better balance between work and family time. I know many are short on space when it comes to our homes so this could be a good time to have a really good clear out to create more space and you could consider putting some of your things into storage, that way you don't have to get rid of anything sentimental or valuable but still create enough space. There are storage units all over the Uk such as Now Storage self-storage Herefordshire.   

5. Design your work from home space more like an office

As mentioned above having a dedicated space is important as is making sure it contains everything you need to be able to work easily and stressfree such as good wifi reception, notice board and storage space. You also want to try and keep it a nice and light space, preferably with natural light and fresh air and why not add a house plant or two as they are great for purifying the air. You also want to focus on removing anything that could distract you and keeping clutter to a minimum 

These are just a few tips to get you started as working from home can be a bit trial and error to begin with. Why not treat yourself to a nice coffee maker or new diary and always make sure to have some time out for yourself each day. I have also written a post about "How to succeed as a work-from home parent" do check it out.