There is no doubt the old coronavirus pandemic had caused a massive change in the lives of so many people across the world. And one of the areas most affected was businesses, with a lot of owners now working from home.
This means that a lot of business owners currently face the unusual challenges of running a business online either full-time or, at least, until the status quo changes.
\So, in this article, I will provide some useful tips for business owners now working from home as I had even prior to the old pandemic.
Table of Contents
Create A Workstation At Home
One of the biggest challenges when it comes to working from home is separating work stuff from home stuff.
For a lot of people attempting to work from home for the first time, the line between the two can become very blurred, and this can easily affect a positive attitude towards work.
The best approach is to physically separate home space from the workspace. Create a workstation for yourself, and it doesn’t have to be an entire room.
All you need is enough space for a comfortable chair, a desk, a desk height calculator, and a drawer for your documents. This simple tip helps a lot in creating the right working mentality even from home.
Having a comfortable chair will also avoid any health issues that bad posture and sitting for a long time can bring on. Been there, done that, and still dealing with it from time to time.
Create Specific Working Hours When Working From Home
Just as you have created a separate work area in your home, you should also set specific working hours for yourself.
Maintaining discipline when working from home can be very difficult. But once you have created clear working hours, it will not only separate work hours from home hours but will also help to keep you disciplined.
Creating specific working hours will also help you make proper use of your time, as time management is another thing that is very difficult to stick to when working from home.
Stats show that most people working from home actually work more hours than those that work at an office setting. The time working is actually 3 more hours per day working from home according to a recent Bloomberg article.
Make Use Of Remote Working Tools
Having a personal computer and a reliable internet connection is almost a must when working from home. It is difficult to imagine how businesses can compete in the modern world without these two.
Armed with your computer and fast speed internet connection, invest in remote working tools to make it easier to accomplish daily tasks.
Other things, such as communication tools, will help you stay in touch with clients and partners. Accounting tools will help lessen the burden of dealing with huge numbers on a daily basis.
Customer relations and content creation tools are also available to make work easier. You can also pick a reliable answering service to manage all your calls in a very professional way.
Find Your Water Cooler Working From Home
This phrase came from
In her blog post she talks about being part of Twitter chats to stay connected. These are a great way to meet up with others weekly over on Twitter. Today you can listen and talk on the X spaces. (A great place for breaking news too.)
However, there are several ways you can connect with others. You could have a meet up with local friends once a week or via a Zoom meeting. Or you can do a Google meet or a Facebook meeting.
There are many choices today to communicate with others. The point here is to stay connected with others while you are working from home.
Keep the Distractions Away While Working From Home
This can be quite challenging, especially if you live with your family. But one way to make it work for you is by informing everyone about your workstation and working hours.
Explain why it is absolutely important not to be disturbed when you are working from home while staying sane!
And if you live alone, there could still be a lot of distractions – the television, the radio, your smartphone, social media, etc. Keep those notifications and sounds down to a minimum while working on projects.
It is important to keep reminding yourself about the importance of your work to help you stay focused. Have a list nearby to check off works well for me.
If possible, make your workstation far from as many distractions as possible.
Schedule Breaks for Yourself When Working from Home
If you do not have any distractions like myself, be sure to schedule breaks. Oftentimes, I’ll work 12 hours with one run to the kitchen for lunch.
The other day I took a 1/2 hour break and sat outside. I came back refreshed and was able to produce some quality creative client work. Other times I’ve gone for walks to get my creative juices flowing.
Taking breaks will keep you happier and more productive as you work from home.
Your Turn: Working From Home
Working from home gives you the chance to create your perfect work-life balance. Take control of your day by setting clear boundaries and sticking to a routine.
Remember, balance isn’t about being perfect; it’s about making continuous adjustments. So, find what works best for you and embrace the flexibility.
How are you finding working from home these days? Do you like it or are you ready to go back to an office or commercial setting?
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She has 30+ years of experience in marketing/advertising with 12 years of experience in content marketing, social media, blogging, and SEO.
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Hi Lisa,
Excellent tips on working from home. WHF is the new trend now (unfortunately due to COVID) and productivity is the most important thing.
Creating specific hours to work is essential. Otherwise, you’ll be simply wasting time as there are too many distractions when you’re working from home.
Also, using a Pomodoro timer is another excellent way to improving your productivity. Here’s how it works. Set a timer for 25 minutes to do focused work. Then, take a 5 minute break. You can repeat the same process until your work gets done. For every 3 to 4 pomodoro timers, you can take a long 15 to 20-minute break.
Keep up the great work Lisa, stay safe!
Thanks Anil. You got that right on the time! I used to work and do nothing else. I try to end at a decent time now but some days I still go over. I will have to try that timer. I like the sounds of that one.
I appreciate your input on this one and you have a great rest of the week and remain safe there Anil.
Hello Lisa,
I would like to say that you have made a very informative post in Work from home and really nowadays working from home is essential.
Most of the peoples are doing wrong practices while working from home and you have explained so many things in this post.
I also make the same mistake in my early stage and now I have learned so many things which is working.
By the way thanks for the post
Hi Pawan, welcome to Inspire To Thrive. You are most welcome. What mistake did you make in the beginning? Mine has been not to take breaks which can lead to some burnout. Thanks for coming by and have a great day!