I never felt as relieved and empowered as I do now after hopping into the “work from home” bandwagon. As a full time blogger and virtual assistant, nothing is better than working in the comfort of my home, taking quick naps without having to be under radar of a boss, cuddling my cat whenever I like, and conversing casually with ammi while I work; well the perks are endless.
If you are thinking, wow it sounds so easy, let’s get a life working home, then you should know it’s quite challenging to learn self discipline. I often found it a drag having to put myself to work knowing I have no one to report to! Some of the days still feel chaotic but I have gradually learnt how to productively make it through a workday! *I deserve a pat on back please*. So, if you are a work home entrepreneur, freelancer or virtual assistant, this post is for you! Here are a few tips to get the hang of time and self management throughout the day!
Wake up early
Really? what is the point of working home when you can’t even sleep in? But if you start off early, you would be surprised how much work you can get done on time without fretting over last minutes scheduling. I wake up at 9 a.m like I would for any other job and go over tasks like checking and responding to emails, getting back to social media messages and blog comments, and listing down my day’s schedule. So, waking up early will enable you to earn some extra time and get more done!
Take mini tea breaks
If you follow me on social media, you know I love tea to the point of almost worshipping it. I need a quick tea break about at mid morning and during afternoon to get an instant brain boost. I am not advising you to go high on tea, but such short breaks allow your mind to incubate for a while as you get back to the work at hand. And incubation is the key to being productive. If you are not a tea fan, you can still take such breaks maybe to just relax, or have some refreshments. Just don’t turn these breaks into a party!
Change places
I have a dedicated home workstation but I like to move around the home for the purpose of changing scenery. Sticking to a single spot stagnates your productivity making your workday feel longer. It’s better to move to another spot which may be even your home garden or porche. A few friends of mine often head to nearest cafes or coffee shops to get work done which is of course a really good option. I have noticed such change in view boost my work capacity, so give it a try.
Set Daily Personal Deadlines and Rewards
Tell yourself you are going to complete a certain task by a specific time. For timely completion, reward yourself with little things like an extended lunch break, extra play time with your cat, or even a bar of chocolate. That’s how I keep myself motivated to finish tasks on time without external direction or supervision, and it ALWAYS works!
Doll Up!
I never paid heed to it earlier when I started working from home, but now I put on a little makeup before setting off to work! Although sitting at home wearing makeup sounds a bit crazy, but when you want to be super productive, you should feel good first. The best part is you do it for your own self instead of impressing your colleagues. If dressing up is too much, you can always doll up in your PJ’s too for the day!
Make to-do list for tomorrow
And stick to it! Make sure you are not overdoing that list and end up disappointed the next day! The happiest to-do list is the one which sets realistic goals. That’s the last task I do before calling a work day and I have become quite habitual of doing that now.
These are the little things you might want to consider if you are struggling with being productive as a work from home professional. As alluring as it sounds, working from home requires the same level of dedication, and discipline as any other on desk job. I would love to know how you keep yourself organized and make it through your workdays at home!
She can be reached at https://linktr.ee/hinailyas
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