#WFH Like You Live There

Home Office Advice from a Seasoned Pro

Our real office is 142 miles round trip from where I live, so my work from home game is strong. While I miss out on office life, the three to four days a week that I work from home have taught me some valuable lessons on maximizing time, boosting creativity, and remaining (somewhat) sane. #WFH like a pro with these tips:

1. Put on Pants.
“Dress for Success” applies to the home office, too. Professionalism isn’t put by the wayside just because you’re at home. Set the tone for yourself that this is business and get dressed. Plus, you really can’t guarantee that you won’t accidentally stand up during that Zoom meeting, can you?

2. Pace Yourself.
Yes, your to-do list is really long, but you don’t have to get through it all at once. It’s ok to take breaks, stand up and stretch, and go for a walk. You’ll clear your head and sit back down with more focus. You may even have a few great ideas while you’re not staring at your screen.

3. Connect with Coworkers.
You don’t have to work in a silo just because you’re working alone from home. Make a conscious effort to reach out to your coworkers, even if it’s just to say “hi.” Shoot them a message on Slack, “ping” them on Basecamp or send out a meme to keep those lines of communication open. You work TOGETHER after all.

4. Set an End of Day Ritual.
This is a big one for me. It’s ok to STOP working, back away from the computer, and get on with the other million things that you have to do. Just because you can’t actually LEAVE work when you’re working from home, doesn’t mean you have to answer emails after 5pm. Setting a ritual to mark the end of your work day can help you create healthy boundaries between work life and home life. Make a cup of tea or take the dog for a walk, it’s your time after that.

Ok, you can change into your day jammies now.