You’ve got your favorite jammies on, a fresh mug of coffee on the desk, and the outside world lightyears away. Working at home can be paradise or a seriously bad case of unproductivity. Between the siren call of your couch and those snack breaks, it’s easy to make some not-so-good choices. Let’s find out how to avoid work-from-home mistakes so you can make your work time more productive.
Mistake 1: The Pajama Trap
Staying in pajamas is part of the paradise dream of working at home, but what you wear changes how you feel. Recreating your morning, including putting on work clothes, sends working signals to your brain.
Look into ways of making your transition from “home you” to “work you” feel like a treat. Maybe start the day at home like you would at the office, but add a morning soak in your hot tub or bathtub. The hot water soothes and relaxes muscles, and those jets help refresh and renew your thought process.
Mistake 2: Forgetting Boundaries
Your bed has one job and your kitchen counter another. When you create separate spaces, it’s easier to think of them separately. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant; a flotation table, a good spot to plug in your laptop, and a decent chair are good places to start.
Boundaries are as much about time as they are about physical space. Give yourself a start time and a stop time. Also, don’t be fooled by the “it’s just one email” excuse. Your brain will thank you for not working yourself into overdrive.
Mistake 3: Skipping Breaks
Do you know those mid-day coffee walks? They aren’t just for caffeine. Your brain needs a break. The thing is that it’s so very tempting to forget breaks when work is literally everywhere. Still, trying to work for eight hours without a break will leave you burned out fast.
Set your timer to remind yourself to take a few minutes and walk away from the screen. Stretch, have a snack, take a walk for five minutes. It will help to release all the tension of the day and recharge you so you can get back to work feeling fresh.
Mistake 4: Multitasking Mania
You’re at home, so do your home stuff during the day, right? You’d think doing some laundry and looking up an online order wouldn’t take much time, but breaking your focus is a formula for disaster.
Instead, aim to work for specific amounts of time. Use a planner or a planning app to map out your day. Try to remember that it’s not the end of the world if a dish sits in the sink while you work. You’ll be more efficient if you focus on one thing at a time.
Mistake 5: Neglecting Self-Care
When your body and mind are stuck in the same place, the mind often decides to take off to a much more interesting place. When you’re not well, your body will let you know sooner or later. Stand up and stretch and get a drink of water.
Treating yourself helps more than you think. It puts a cap on your day with something nice and relaxing. Imagine yourself getting into your hot tub to cool down after all the stress of the day.
Tips to Boost Productivity at Home
Start with Something Fun: Get your day started with a task that you know you can crush. Doing so early in the day will set a positive tone.
Make It Yours: Customize your workspace with anything (an office plant, a nice candle, photos) that makes you feel good.
Turn Off and Tune Out: Turn off the distractions on your phone. No, you cannot refresh your Twitter every three minutes all hours of the afternoon.