5 Ways to Conquer Working from Home
*I’m tweaking my Perfection Balance post with this Work-from-Home post because they weave together beautifully.
Working from home, it’s not always easy.
Don’t get me wrong — believe me, it has its perks:
1. Work in your pajamas
2. Home for the kids if they need you
3. Create your schedule the way you want it
4. You’re your own boss throughout the day
5. There’s no need for makeup and hair perfection
Working from Home
When I first started working from home, trying to find a way to balance everything was ultra tough for me. I couldn’t figure out the best way to be the best mom, the best wife, the best daughter, the best friend, the best businesswoman, the best… EVERYTHING. Internally – I’m one of those people that want to be the best at everything all the time. It works well in my business life when I have my business hat on. It works good in my mom life when I have my mom hat on. It works well in my marriage when I have my wife hat on. The tough part is trying to have all those hats on while you’re working from home. It’s NOT easy. It’s NOT easy one bit! There are days when I honestly feel that I’m a hamster on a wheel… running, running, running but getting nowhere quick! Sometimes I feel that the people in my life who know I work from home, actually don’t think working from home is the same as working in an office somewhere. Just like I would never, ever just show up to someone’s office unannounced, the same logic HAS to be made towards anyone working from home, too. I also was having a tough time saying NO to people in my life when it came to doing things during the day. Or the worst – when the schools need volunteers, trying to explain to my kids why I just can’t be at everything. This was a tough one for me.
I knew I needed to do something QUICK to conquer the Work From Home challenge.
So I implemented some strategies to integrate into my work life at home.
I had to jump OFF that hamster wheel and be straight up honest with myself… I can’t be EVERYTHING to EVERYONE on EVERY single day of my life. I need to do what I can during the moments when I can… to do what I need to do! (Does that make sense?)
This is how I started to find a “perfection balance” in my life while working from home:
1) I gave myself office hours. I found out that giving myself designated hours to work was the best thing I could do! I wasn’t going crazy trying to work while the kids were home. I just made sure everything was done before they got off the bus. And I’m not going to lie, I check my emails all day. It’s who I am… but I don’t let things interfere with homework, swim team, basketball, dinner or home time with the kids.
2) Weekends have became all about family and no work. I always put a little disclosure here…if work is something that needs to happen on the weekend, I make it work… but otherwise, weekends are for family. I don’t stress about things for the upcoming week, I know it will get done in due time. If you look at my blog, I’ve taken the no blogging on weekends rule seriously. It’s been freeing to not be tied to my email and work. I can check when I need to, but the weekends are about family.
3) I gave myself a designated workspace! Gone are the days working on my couch or a section of my dining room table. I love having a place where my work stays and where I can go and stay “locked” away. This is KEY. If you don’t have extra space, designate a spot in your house when the kids are at school that is YOURS. Maybe it’s on your dining room table? Maybe its your coffee table? Find a place to launch!
4) I started STOPPING for lunch. When I started stopping for lunch, I was able to catch up on emails and texts and messages from friends and family. I make it a priority to do lunch dates with friends and family.
5) I stick to my schedule. This is something I started doing years ago and I love it. My planner is my livelihood! It has everything in it, and I try to make sure I have an ongoing, running list of assignments, meetings, kid things, work things, you name it!
Balance doesn’t just happen. You have to work at it and constantly making sure it’s working for you!
Create your life in ways that work for you and see how wonderful things are for you!
Check out How to Be Productive Working from Home in the Summer!
