Work from Home Life – From One of Our Own, Claire Myra
Working from home sounds like a dream, especially when you’re used to starting your workday extra early to get yourself ready, commuting to your workplace, and spending money on food.
I want to talk about the ups and downs of working from home. Sometimes working from home isn’t as glorified as it seems. It can become lonely, boring and distracting some days.
Take it from me – I’ve always wanted a work-from-home job because to me it meant lounging in my sweats, not worrying about putting makeup on, and saving money on gas and food. I work from home now and although those things still apply in my daily work life, I do miss talking to people in person, putting myself together for the day and working collaboratively with multiple people in one location.
But the most important thing for me? My mental health and having a routine.
On those no-meeting days it can be so easy to stay in your PJs, sit on the couch with your laptop and get up 10 minutes before you clock in for your day. Without structure and routine, I felt exhausted and non-productive in my personal life.
Here are some adjustments I made to improve my work-from-home environment that I want to share with you:
- Set up a nice working space that makes you feel good and productive.
- Eliminate contact with pets. As much as that pains me to say as a Cat Mom, those little buggers are so distracting!
- Organize your personal calendar before your work day starts. Make sure to include time to get dressed, put some makeup on if you’d like, shower, etc. You will feel so productive before you clock-in for your day.
- Schedule breaks in your calendar. Even if it’s for 5 minutes. Stand up, go for a walk, pet your animals, have a snack.
- Turning off notifications at the end of your work day. As tempting as it is to see messages come in on your off time, and while your computer is right down the hall… you need to set those boundaries for yourself. Everyone needs a break, and most of the time things can wait until the next morning. As our kick ass CEO, Aspen Peggs, always says “We are not in the business of saving lives.”
Since I have implemented all of these key items to my daily work life, I feel a significant change in my mood, my energy and my productivity.
Now that I have set myself up for success, here are some things that I LOVE about working from home:
- Saving money on gas.
- Saving money on food. No Starbucks or buying myself lunch daily.
- Being in a space that I have created for myself.
- Saving money on clothes. I don’t need to buy a ton of different office pants. Hey, it’s not like you can see them in our meetings, right?
- Being home. On my breaks, I love being productive around my house. This includes chores, cat snuggles and getting dinner prepped for when my husband comes home.
In conclusion, it’s important to consider all the factors in your daily life that can impact your work environment. While working from home may sound glorious, it’s crucial to recognize what you’re sacrificing and how different it is from the routine of going into an office every day.
Go beyond the bare minimum.
Always set yourself up for success.
