(More) Semi-Pro Tips: Working from Home.

I'm back again with more tips for working from home (you can see the first set here).

This is my intern.You know, just an owl holding some pens.

I've worked (mostly) from home for almost three years and I feel like I'm getting better at it (brag, much?) in that I feel like I get less distracted and more efficient.

1.) Set Boundaries. I mentioned in my last post about working from home that it's important to have a separation between professional and personal life when you work from home. Set boundaries so people know that no, you can't run an errand for them during your work day and no, you are laying by the pool all day. When I was freelancing and my hours were more flexible, I was okay with occasionally babysitting or running an errand during the work day. Now that I have a full time job, I just say no. When Rhyno comes home from work at 2pm, he knows to just pop in to say hi and then be on his way. Would he call me at a corporate office and talk to me for hours? Probably not. Would you ask me to babysit your 8 year old if I was sitting at a company desk? No. That would be mad boring for a kid. So, in the vein of keeping focused during the work day, I try not to do anything that I wouldn't do in an actual office (with the exception of shoes...I'd probably wear those in an office but I never do at home).

 2.) Get Organized. I can't concentrate as well in a space full of chaos. I try to keep my work stuff insanely organized be it with my Outlook calendar, a dry-erase board, post-it notes about important tasks, and my daily to-do list. On my office wall I have one calendar with only work appointments on it, another with my blog editorial calendar, and another with personal things.

3.) Remember Your Schedule. When I know I have a crazy busy day ahead, I try to wake up a bit earlier than usual to enjoy my breakfast and tea with Rhyno to get me centered before work. I work in Public Relations which means when I have a busy day I have a BUSY DAY and this is nearly every day. I like to be busy but it's easy to get overwhelmed so if I know I have a ton to do, I get out of bed earlier to jump start my day. I don't schedule the cable guy or the air vent cleaners for work hours to avoid time-sucks and distractions. If you have the type of job that allows you to be away from your desk when you work from home or allows you to ignore your phone/email for chunks of time, then this rule doesn't apply to you.

4.) Ask for Help. Let's be honest, working from home can get incredibly lonely. It is easy to feel like an island, all alone, floating out there (maybe that's just hormones talking). Just because I'm not physically there doesn't mean I can't ask for help though, I have gotten much better over the last few months with reaching out to coworkers when I need help and I've gotten such great response. PR is also rarely a lonely field because I'm constantly on conference calls or emailing clients, coworkers, and media contacts. Also, just chit chat with people, bond with your coworkers, and it helps to have a team that makes you feel included even from far away (luckily, I do).

5.) Remember to Take Time Off. For a long time I figured working at home was my reward so I rarely asked for time off (aside from medical things) despite working 10-12 hour days.  No, you still need time off. Want to take a vacation day and sit at home in any room except your office? Do it. Working non-stop isn't good for anyone's productivity or creativity. I can tell when I've overworked myself because I have a harder time with my writing and my PR pitch ideas don't flow as easily. That's when I know I need to ask for a day or so off--now don't do it every single week but you know what I mean. Just because you're at home doesn't mean you shouldn't take time off for yourself!

Do you work from home? Any good tips?

Semi-Pro Tips: Working from Home.

I don't do much yappin' about my work-life on this ol' blog. Here's the run down: I work in public relations: a field that I am super interested in, have years of experience in, and kind of really love. I am lucky enough to work 40+ hours a week from the comfort of my own home.

Now, before you think I sit on my couch watching movies all day and pretending it's work, let me tell you...there are days where I don't have much time to run downstairs to heat up soup for lunch let alone lay around on my bed. I got my first taste of working from home (aside from the occasional sick day or something) when I began freelancing in 2012. After years at a PR agency I switch to an administrative job at an industrial IT firm. I hated the admin job so, so much so I started freelancing PR/marketing/event planning on the side. I quickly made it my full-time job and was working from home constantly. 

 

So here, after about two years of trial and error, are some of my bumbling quick tips for working from home.

1.) Have a dedicated space for your work. At first, still living at our condo, I was working at a small desk in our living room. When we began looking for a house I knew I wanted my own office. For me, especially with client calls and what not, it is vital to have a quiet space where I can work uninterrupted. I've never been someone who can just sit on the couch with a laptop on my lap--I need an organized space to get shit done.

 

2.) Make sure there's an obvious separation. On the same note of having a specific space for work I think it is absolutely crucial to remember that work and personal are separate when you're home all day. Since there isn't a commute time during which to reflect on the day and decompress it can be insanely easy to take a stressful workday and turn it into a crabby home night. About a year ago I started forcing myself to take at least five minutes at the end of every work day to decompress before making dinner or hanging with Rhyno. Take a quick walk outside, do a few yoga poses, watch a funny cat video--do something every day that signifies "Work is over, my personal life is starting." On the same tip, in the mornings I operate the way I would if I didn't work from home. I am in my office by 8am without many exceptions.

3.) Communication is key. Since I'm not in the same office as my co-workers I try to stay insanely available via all means of communication during the day--email, phone, and instant message. I know some people that work from home who have no problem ducking out for an hour or so without letting anyone know. I'm too paranoid for that and I know if I ever tried it that would be the one hour where everyone needed me. If I have an appointment or need to be out in the middle of the day I try to act the same as I would if I were in the same office as my boss--keep open communication and let them know the situation.

4.) Avoid distractions. When I first started working from home the most difficult thing for me was getting my mind off of chores that needed to be done. I would begin writing a press release and think, "I should start the laundry...well since I did that I'll just quickly wipe down the bathrooms....okay I'll just scoop the litter box and then back to work." No. I wouldn't drive home from my agency to scoop the cat box and then drive back to work would I? Every night before bed I try to make sure anything that will distract me is taken care of and if not? Tough. It'll have to wait until work is over (for a neat freak like myself, this is killer). I shut the door to my office and ignore it until 5pm.

5.) Get out! Want a good recipe for instant cranky insanity? Work from home and then stay home all weekend. Every week. Forever. You'll resent it quickly. Rhyno and I are total homebodies but since I work from home full time now we make a huge effort to get out at least 4 times a week--a long walk, a trip to the mall, dinner at a local diner, bike rides along the river by our house, bonfires at a friend's house. I am not a hermit enough to be content being cooped up all the dang time. Get out, get fresh air, and enjoy time away from your "office"!

Do you work from home? Any good tips?