Tips For Successful Working From Home

Working from home can be great. Whether you run your own business or work for someone else, remote working provides a level of freedom you can't get at the office. It works well for people with young children and, in some cases, even increases productivity. However, there are some potential pitfalls associated with working from home. Here are 15 tips for successful working from home. 

Maintain Regular Hours 

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when working from home is not keeping regular hours. It's best to maintain the same hours you would in an office environment. This will make you more productive, it makes it easier to collaborate with people, and you will be finished earlier. It might feel like you can stay in bed all morning, but you'll regret it when you're working until 9 pm. 

Create a Morning Routine

To get yourself in the mood for work, you should commit to a regular morning routine. It should look something like this - wake up, have a shower, brush teeth, make a coffee, eat some breakfast, start work. Of course, you can adapt it to your personal preferences. The main thing is that you should do the same thing every day. This will help you get into the right mindset for work. 

Set Ground Rules With the People in Your Space

When working from home, you will probably have to contend with other people in your space. Whether it's your partner, children, or housemates, it's important to lay down a few ground rules. This could include no interruptions during office hours, keeping noise to a minimum, and not having friends over. The main thing is that you minimize distractions, so you can focus on your work. 

Schedule Breaks

It doesn't matter how hard you like to work; you need to schedule regular breaks. If you work for hours at a time, you will eventually burn out and lose concentration. It's much better to have a short break every hour to keep your mind refreshed. You can experiment with the length and timing of your breaks to find what works best for you. 

Take Breaks in Their Entirety

Even if you're super busy at work, you should commit to taking breaks in their entirety. You might feel like you are ready to get back to work, but cutting breaks short is a bad habit to get into. It's much better to ensure that you are completely rested before you sit down at the desk again. 

Leave Home

Just because you work from home doesn't mean you need to spend all your time there. In fact, this is one of the worst things you can do as a remote worker. You should attempt to leave the house at least once a day. This will prevent you from getting cabin fever and starting to resent your work-from-home lifestyle. 

Don't Hesitate to Ask for What You Need

If you are working for a company, you should ensure that they have provided you with all of the equipment you need. For example, if your laptop is too slow, you should request a new one. Many people that work from home forget that they can ask for the tools they need to do the job. 

Keep a Dedicated Office Space

Having a dedicated office space is essential when you work from home. It helps you get into the right mindset for work and maintain a professional outlook. If you are sitting on the couch with one eye on the TV, you will not produce your best work. It's worth investing in your home office setup, especially if you are going to be working from home for the foreseeable future. 

Maintain a Separate Phone Number

Maintaining a separate phone number is a useful tip to help you switch off at the end of the workday. You can keep your work contacts and emails strictly on your work phone, then switch it off at the end of the day. This will prevent people from calling you out of office hours. 

Socialize With Colleagues

When you're working from home, it's easy to stop socializing with colleagues. When you're in the office, it feels natural to talk to colleagues about their lives. However, on a phone or video call, it's easy to keep it strictly business. You should attempt to keep a social atmosphere with colleagues. It will help you build strong working relationships. 

Show Up to Meetings and Be Heard 

On a video meeting, it's pretty easy to sink into your chair and stay quiet. However, this is a big mistake. It's just as important to be a strong member of the team when you're working from home. Prepare for meetings, listen carefully, and be a loud voice. This will help you to maintain your position in the team. 

Take Sick Days

When you work from home, it's pretty easy to drag yourself to work, even when you're feeling sick. Sure, this shows a dedication to the job that will impress your bosses. However, it's a mistake to work when you're sick. Not only will you not perform at your normal level, but you will also delay getting better. Just be honest with yourself - if you wouldn't go into the office, stay in bed. 

Overcommunicate

One of the biggest pitfalls when working from home is the lack of opportunities to communicate. You might have a couple of phone calls and message a day. This can lead to a breakdown in communication and affect the whole team. That's why you should overcommunicate. Let your team know about your progress and message people every day.  

Stay organized 

Organization is key to a successful career working from home. You should have a strong file system, a solid routine, and a to-do list that's kept up to date. You should also make use of any tools that can help you with your organization. For example, content writers can use a tool like Brandfolder to keep their content organized. 

End Your Day With a Routine

The end of your day is just as important as the start. By having a routine at the end of the day, you will condition your mind to get out of work mode and back into relaxing mode. Your end-of-day routine could involve a quick tidy-up of the desk, closing your laptop, switching off your work phone, and changing out of work clothes. Like your morning routine, it's not hugely important what your end-of-day routine involves, as long as it is the same every day.