Have you established daily routines that keep you organized and productive while working from home?
Do you plan ahead for the next day the night before?
Work From Home Series
We are creatures of habit so it is important to maintain your work from home weekday routines as close to your normal work schedule as possible.
It is okay if you need to tweak some of your habits and routines to ensure working from home is a success for you.
Determine ahead of time when you will work by maintaining regular hours, keeping in mind that one of the many benefits of working from home is your ability to be more flexible.
Your daily habits and routines will make you or break you when working from home.
Organizing & Productivity Solutions: Routines for Success
Keep Your Same Morning and Evening Routines
Keep your same bedtime routine and go to sleep at the same time.
Get up on time (or early!) and get ready for the day. You don't necessarily need to wear a suit, nylons or your best jewels, but do your hair, put on a bit of make up and wear clothes you wouldn't mind answering the door or going outside for a walk in.
The exception is if you have a video/virtual meeting - keep it professional by always looking the part even when working at home.
Maintaining your normal morning and evening routines while working at home will keep you from feeling you are on holidays and you will be super productive by getting a ton of work done!
Build Transitions In (and Out) of Work
Your previous morning commute not only physically got you to work but it also gave your brain time to prepare for work.
Just because you’re not traveling outside of your home to an office doesn’t mean you should stop a regular routine to start your workday.
Possibly you read on the train/bus or listened to music, podcasts or audio books on your commute. There is nothing stopping you from doing that same routine at home. Or you could change it up now that you are home and have breakfast with your family, walk the dog, workout or meditate.
At the end of the day, your commute home did the opposite. You had time again either on public transit or your vehicle to unwind and mentally process the day leading into your evening at home. This gives your brain time to reset and helps you transition back into your personal life.
When working from home, find something that will signal the end of your work day and the beginning of your personal time.
At the end of the day, your commute home did the opposite. You had time again either on public transit or your vehicle to unwind and mentally process the day leading into your evening at home. This gives your brain time to reset and helps you transition back into your personal life.
When working from home, find something that will signal the end of your work day and the beginning of your personal time.
Go for a walk or to the gym. Watch the news. Change into your super comfy casual clothes. Do something that helps you decompress.
A Stress-free Day Starts the Night Before
Think about your current evening routines - what can you do the night before to make your next work from home day as focused as possible?
- Do you set out a work outfit for the next day depending on any outside meetings or video calls?
- Have you prepared a healthy breakfast/lunch/snack so you're not wasting your time during the day cooking?
- Do you get your morning coffee/tea/breakfast ready after doing the dinner dishes?
- Are your gym clothes set out for your workout tomorrow?
- Should you set your alarm half an hour earlier so you can spend more time easing into your work from home routine?
- Have you established the practice of journaling, meditating/praying or reading before lights out?
- Do you go to sleep at around the same time every night and get a good 7-8 hours of restful sleep?
Being organized in advance keeps your stress levels down as you feel confident in your preparations.
You can't control a lot of things in this world but you can control how you set yourself up for success while working from home.
Routines to End Well
How you end your day is just as important as how you start it such as:
Keep the last 20-30 minutes of your day for tidying up any loose ends.
Jot down any last-minute tasks on your to-do list.
Make sure your email inbox is at zero.
Get any meeting notes ready for tomorrow.
Clean your desk off and tidy up your home office.
Organize your project folders and tasks in order of priority ready to start fresh in the morning.
Log Off at the End of the Day
Once your work is done for the day, tidy up, shut down and walk away.
Working from home makes it even more important to log off and set good boundaries.
We all need time with family, time in nature, time to exercise, time for self care, time for fun, time for creativity, time for our souls.
Working from home makes it even more important to log off and set good boundaries.
We all need time with family, time in nature, time to exercise, time for self care, time for fun, time for creativity, time for our souls.
Make Your Routines Personal
Above all else, figure out what works best for you.
Sometimes the answer is obvious, but other times you might need some inspiration from other people who are in the same boat.
Seek out a supportive community of other people who work from home, either in your company or online.
Working alone has many benefits but even the most introverted among us need social interaction. Stay connected and social with team members and colleagues, family and friends.
Evaluate regularly what is working with your routines so you tweak them as needed. Work and personal circumstances change therefore, your routines should also be adapted in response.
Work from Home "Homework"
- Create a work from home routine that fits with your life.
- Decide how you will transition from home into work and from work back into your personal life
- Challenge yourself to stick to your routines as much as possible!
Work From Home Plan
We offer a personalized and professionally prepared Work From Home Plan for only $497+GST!
Your Work From Home Plan includes:
- 60-minute virtual "in-home" workspace assessment
- Personalized 10 point organizing & productivity plan
- 90-minute virtual implementation session
- 30-minute virtual evaluation call
My Gift to You
Click HERE to download our FREE Making Work From Home Work guide.
More Work From Home Blog Posts
The first blog in our Work from Home Series focused on Your Physical Space.
The second blog in our Work from Home Series focused on Your Digital Space.
The third blog in our Work from Home Series focused on Managing Distractions.
The fourth blog in our Work from Home Series focused on Getting It Done.
Book Your Discovery Call Today!
Click HERE book your FREE discovery call directly in my calendar to see if we are a good fit to work together.
We promise your personalized Work From Home Plan will transform your spaces from frustration to freedom!
Find your freedom.
Live your life.
Noreen