Working from home (WFH) offers freedom, but it also blurs the line between “work” and “life.” Without the structure of an office, productivity can plummet, or conversely, you might find yourself working 12 hours a day. To succeed, you need to manufacture structure. Here are tips to master work from home life.
- Define a Workspace: Do not work from your bed. If possible, have a dedicated room. If not, a specific chair at the dining table will do. Your brain needs a physical trigger that says, “I am at work now.”
- The Fake Commute: The walk to the office used to be a transition time. Recreate this. Walk around the block before you start working to separate “home mode” from “work mode.”
- Get Dressed: Staying in pajamas signals rest. Changing into “real” clothes signals action.
- Set Hours: Be clear about when you are online and when you are offline. Communicate these boundaries to your family and your boss.
- Take Real Breaks: At the office, you walk to the water cooler or chat with colleagues. At home, we often sit frozen for hours. Set a timer to move.
- Limit Household Chores: It is tempting to do laundry during a conference call. Don’t. It breaks your flow. Save chores for after hours or lunch breaks.
- Over-communicate: When remote, you are invisible. Send regular updates to your team so they know what you are working on.
By treating your home office with the same discipline as a corporate office, you can enjoy the flexibility of WFH without sacrificing your performance.
