HOW TO WORK AT HOME SUCCESSFULLYHow to work from home successfully.
As a small business owner, one of the reasons I decided to have my own business was to be able to manage my work-life balance i.e. be around for school holidays, sports days and doctor’s appointments, but also allow me to be in control of my destiny. So, to be financially independent whilst still having a social life.
However, the reality can be very different and can lead to a different type of stress: “I’m not going to succeed…..I’m not good enough……I don’t have enough time…..my family resents me…..my kids are being neglected” etc.
The need to be very disciplined and not stray when “time curveballs” are thrown at us is a bit of an art.
YOU MAKE TIME, BUT YOU CAN MANAGE IT
1- If possible, create a dedicated workspace that is YOUR space. (I know it is not always possible, but if you cannot dedicate a spare room for yourself, can you put up a structure in the garden? The point is to try and find a space that is yours, which you don’t have to set up and break down every day, even if it is just a desk in a corner of a room that is not used so much. Mentally, when you sit there you’re working!
This accomplishes two things: You know that when you walk into that room you are there to work until you are done – all family members know that they should respect your work space when you are in it, but the opposite is also true – when you are finished, you shut the door and your family time begins.
2- Plan and diarise your week, set realistic goals. You know at the beginning of the week what commitments you have outside of work. Make sure that you plan your work around those commitments. Don’t over commit!
Plan good time chunks that allow you to get your teeth into your work. Put what you are going to do each day in the diary. Break tasks down to bite-size pieces so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
3- Realistic expectations- Contrary to the beliefs of those in your personal life, you are at work even though you are home! Set boundaries and ask that they respect your workday when it comes to phone calls, pop-in visits, etc.
4- Structure Your Days. Have a routine, e.g Answer emails first, as soon as your sit down. Enter any new commitments to you diary. Update to-do lists. Break at 12pm for 15mins don’t get distracted by what’s on the telly that you just popped on etc.
5- This is kind of self-explanatory, but don’t schedule a call that should finish at the same time you child comes home from school, or first thing in the morning before you normally walk the dog, as you will have lots of doggie noises in the background demanding to go out. You will not be able to focus. Also, leave a bit of a gap for unforeseen overrun.
6- Use task lists and time management tools. For example, Xero accounts management app to manage your accounts. These are available online and can work across all devices. This will help you in planning.
Use the timer on your phone to ring at the same time every day to signal lunch so you’re not too engrossed in what you’re doing and forget your break.
7-Set office hours and stick to them – they could be one hour after you get into the office so that you have uninterrupted time for admin, or one hour before you finish as this will give you time to tidy your work away before the family walk through the door.
8-Getting dressed also applies to other appearance-based tasks: Take a shower, brush your hair, even put on makeup if that’s what you’d usually do for work. Waking up and taking care of your appearance can go a long way toward helping you feel like you’re taking care of yourself. Also, it helps for that work/home line not to be blurred. (By the same token, you maybe don’t need to go quite as all out as you would for the office if you don’t want to.)
9-No matter how busy you become, it’s important to take a break – be sure to break for lunch and even leave the house. Even if you go for a coffee or a walk, this helps tremendously to clear your head.
10 Out-source tasks- things that do not need to be done by you. For example, hire a cleaner, even if it’s just for a couple of hours every two weeks or so, or a dog walker, or a virtual personal assistant who can do your admin tasks. Think outside the box.
“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.”
The above has certainly helped me to structure my work life!
Let me know what you could do to change the way you work in order to reduce your stress, increase your productivity and get a better work-life balance.
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