How To Work From Home and Keep Your Sanity

Well, here we are, locked and loaded on that WFH beat for a while, and we’re all trying to make it work as best we can. Everyone works differently but now’s the time to, well, make it work. That said, it takes some planning and strategy to really maximize your productivity and stay happy and sane while cooped up at home. So, we’ve got a few tips on how to make your WFH adventure successful. Settle in, grab some coffee, let’s get to work.

Find A Routine
Look, a lot of people are going to tell you to just “treat working from home just like your regular day”, and yes, there is definitely some merit to that, but, everyone works and lives differently so you’ll need to find a routine that works for you. That said, structure is important, so try getting up, getting ready, and going about your work on a routine that is something similar to what your previous schedule was is important. But what that routine looks like can be tweaked based on what works for you. Also, think about things to look forward to after you finish your day, just like you normally would in the office. Maybe it’s a virtual happy hour with your crew or an hour of The Office on Netflix. Either way, you’re treating these days like normal days.

Experiment With Your Schedule
Established video calls and meetings aside, setting aside breaks at different times is crucial. Feeling stir crazy? Go for a walk and grab a cup of coffee. Try adding in a workout around lunchtime instead of in the evening. Step outside, throw on a podcast, and take a few minutes to yourself. The point is really to get away from your “desk” to give yourself a mental reset. Just shifting over on the couch and listening to Stephen A. Smith rant about his “close personal friend LeBron” isn’t really going to do much for you. 

Set Up Your Space
No matter what you do, it’s important to set up some dedicated space that is solely for work. Sure, the idea of just sitting on the couch with your laptop seems killer, but ultimately it’s not going to lead to real productivity, nor is it even really that comfortable. So, if you don’t have the luxury of a home office or spare bedroom with a desk, it’s all about maximizing your available room.  Find an adequate desk and chair and treat this space like it’s your new office, because, well, it is. Congrats on the promotion to your own office Chief! Even if it’s just a bit of space at your dining room table, keep it set up and work from there.

Find Some Productivity Tools
There are a million and one tools and apps (and another million articles recommending them) all over the place but ultimately given your new environment it may take some more effort to keep yourself on task and productive. So, try some new tech to keep you working hard and smart. We like timers using the Pomodoro Technique (25 min bursts with short breaks - try the Tomato Timer) to keep you focused but not worn out. Sites like RescueTime can help manage your tasks, social media instincts, and general time management. We also like the novelty of going back to analog written notes and journaling as something to help boost your organization and task completion since it’s tangible action.

Dress The Part
Is a no-shower, sweats-all-day vibe tempting these days? Hell yes. But, there’s something that supports the “treat it like a regular workday” routine when you’re wearing actual clothes. Look, we’re not saying wear a suit and tie but maybe a step up from pajama pants and an old t-shirt is definitely a bar to shoot for. Comfort is key and we totally support that, so jeans, chinos, t-shirts, and sweaters are all great moves. Hey, keep the slippers though, we’re good with that.