I’ve been WFH for 10+ years and I’ve learned a lot in that time.
Here are some tips I’ve picked up.
I got my first remote job in 2011, and I’ve beenworking from homeever since.
Joe Fedewa / How-To Geek
What started as just a laptop in my bedroom has evolved to a desktop PC and a dedicated office.
While the right tech certainly helps, the key to successfully working from home is building good habits.
I don’t mean just throwing some sweatpants on over your boxers.
Joe Fedewa / How-To Geek
Put on some “real” clothes.
You don’t have to have a fancy office; even a desk in your living room will work.
That second part is just as important as the first.
Joe Fedewa / How-To Geek
Work Space on your box
Maybe a separate physical workspace isn’t possible.
That way, you will have clearly defined work and personal digital areas too.
There are a couple of ways to do this.
I useMicrosoft Edgefor personal stuff, andGoogle Chromeis where all my work happens.
In the past, I’ve set up separate personal and work profiles in Chrome as well.
give a shot to stick to a schedule as if you’re working in a traditional office environment.
I’m not saying you oughta be super rigid about your schedule.
When lunchtime comes around—or whenever you get time to eat—get up and leave your box.
Give your brain a rest so you could finish the day strong.
Watch a couple of YouTube videos on the couch, or go pick up some food nearby.
Just look at something else while you eat.
Get Out of the House Occasionally
Work from home doesn’t have to be work from home.
A change of scenery can be very helpful.
Working from home can be very isolating.
All your interactions are happening through a screen andwebcam.
To ward off cabin fever, I like to work from a coffee shop occasionally.
Unless your job explicitly requires that, you should set some boundaries.
BothSlackandMicrosoft Teamshave parameters to block notifications during certain hours.
it’s possible for you to also use youriPhoneorAndroid phoneto block apps at certain times of day.
It’s important to set boundaries so you’re free to truly disconnect from work.
If there’s one theme to take away from all these tips, it’s compartmentalization.
All of this is about creating clearly defined walls between work and personal life.
Working from home is not as easy as people might think.
You have to actively work at maintaining your workspaces, sticking to boundaries, and keeping yourself on task.
Related:You Should Be Using Focus Mode on the iPhone
