7 Ways the Perks of Working From Home Become the Downfalls
Over the last couple of months, everyone who is nonessential but can work from a computer has found themselves working from home in order to stop the spread of Covid-19. Husbands, wives, and children are all suddenly home-based and trying to get work and school work done in the same space.
It’s safe to say that working from home has its perks but unfortunately, they can also be disadvantages if you let them. Below are 7 ways the perks of working from home become the downfalls and how you can combat them.
1: You Can Do What You Want
Since you’re working remotely, you can do what you want. Work in your pajamas, start at 10 am, watch TV, take a 4-hour break at 2 pm. You see the downward spiral happening here?
Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you can get lazy. It’s more important now than ever that you create a routine or continue to follow your old routine, you know, from when you used to go to work?
One of the worst things you can do is just wing it. Before you know it, it’ll be 6 pm and you’ll have gotten nothing done but scroll on Facebook, believe me. The best way to be productive is to plan out your day the night before. Write out hour by hour what you plan to do and make sure you stick to it.
2: You Can Wear Your Old Comfy Hoodie and Sweatpants All Day
Yay, no dress code! Pineapple bun, the hoodie with the brassy stains, and your favorite pajama-pants-turned-sweatpants all day every day. But when you dress in loungewear you tend to do just that -- you lounge.
It’s more psychological than anything but you’re more productive when you get dressed to go to work even if you’re only going to the spare bedroom or the kitchen table. I’m not saying you have to wear a fancy suit and put on makeup -- let’s not get crazy here -- but pants would be a great start.
3: You Can Sleep In
If you are a night owl and you don’t have to work 9 am-5 pm then go ahead and sleep in. But make sure you pick a time to start work and stick to it. If it’s 2 pm-10 pm, great! Take advantage of your work-from-home job and set your own hours.
I repeat, set your own hours. Set the intention to start work at x o’clock every day and stop work at x o’clock time as well. And just like going to a physical job, don’t be late.
4: The House Will Be SO Clean
If you’re home, then you can put laundry in before sitting down to work and wash dishes on your lunch break! What really happens though is you put in the laundry, then decide to wash the pans on the stove, but the floor is dirty so you should sweep it, and as you sweep you realize you haven’t washed the floor in months so you get out the mop, and since your cleaning floors you should vacuum and...you see what happened?
Flip the switch. Create a system of goals and rewards that goes something like this: Once I complete _____________ then I can clean/mop/vacuum/wash dishes/fold laundry/go on social media for 20 minutes. It’s weird to think of housework as the reward, but it keeps you from falling for the distractions all day and not getting your important work done first.
5: You Can Take However Many Breaks You Want
You can work through lunch or take a 2-hour lunch break. The choice is yours! Breaks are required if you want to be productive throughout the day, especially when you’re a remote worker. It takes an extra amount of energy and self-control to set a schedule and follow it when there are distractions and you have the ability to stop whenever you want.
My suggestion is to set a timer throughout your workday that will go off in 20-minute increments. Your brain is capable of focusing on one task for 20 minutes at a time. After 20 minutes your attention span will start to crumble. Instead of fighting it for hours, take a 5-10 minute break then head back to your home office for another 20 minutes.
6: You Can Work From Anywhere
You can work from your couch, in the spare room, the kitchen table, or even in bed! You could even work from a coffee shop or the library. It sounds glamorous but in reality, you’re setting yourself up for more distractions and difficulties.
Decide on a dedicated workspace in your home that can serve as a quiet place for you to get stuff done. Keep that location organized because a cluttered space makes for a cluttered mind. Then, put a sign on the door that says “No kidz, pets or spouses allowed!” and train your body to know that when you’re in that space, you mean business.
7: You Are Going to Get So Much Done
Wrong.
Expect each task to take much longer than you think especially when you have a small business. The ambition will wear off and you’ll find yourself stressed with deadlines you promised but can’t meet. Be comfortable with saying no and set realistic expectations of yourself.
You might feel compelled to tell someone you can get something done for them by the end of the week but if in reality, you’d be time-crunched and not sure you can do it, don’t make that promise. Let the client know you can do it by the end of next week instead and then they can be surprised when you get it to them two days earlier than they anticipated. It’s the ol’ underpromise and overdeliver rule.
Working from home is GREAT as long as it’s not taken advantage of. Enjoy this time working from whatever corner of your house that works for you and being able to relax a bit and spend extra time with your family members. It’s an awesome privilege to be able to work full-time from your laptop so as long as you can follow a schedule and have some disciple it could be an exciting time for you.
If you’re a remote business owner, odds are you’re not an expert at everything. Consider getting help in the areas that are draining you and eating a lot of your time. While working remotely you might find that the hours seem to go by faster. Instead of working late into the night, outsource the things you don’t want to do.
I specialize in copywriting so I don’t try to make my own graphics for social media or design my website; I leave that to the experts.
If you want to talk about copy or content for your business, I’m all ears. Let’s connect!