Productivity Tips: Working from Home

For those of your who are new to this working from home business, here are a few lessons I learned the hard way so you don’t have to!

• Keep an early morning routine as if you’re going to work traditionally. Breakfast, shower, brush your teeth etc. Maybe even wear a bra and put on pants. Just kidding. Let’s not get crazy. 

• Pick a work space that is NOT your bed. Trust me. I get it, I do. I love my bed. And I write in it occasionally. But guess what your body’s natural response is going to be when it feels those comfy covers and pillows? That’s right. Snuggling down for a snoozefest. Plus, hours on a computer in bed with no lumbar support  is bad on your back. 

• Set specific hours that you will ONLY dedicate to working and stick to them. For me 9am-Noon and 1-3pm are hard limits on work only. No switching out laundry, no loading the dishwasher or folding towels or watching one episode of whatever on Netflix. I save that for lunchtime and after 3. Because let’s face it, it’s never just one episode.

• Prepare your workspace ahead of time. Have your water, snacks, headphones, computer charger, glasses, whatever you need, all in your workspace before you begin. Getting up to get a snack will turn into “hey mom, come help me find my…” or “oh, I’ll just go ahead and wipe these counters down real quick” or “maybe I should watch a few minutes of the new Trolls movie with the kids for a bit.” No. Not during work hours. The kids, the movies, the episodes of Virgin River, the laundry, will all still be there when you’ve met your own goals for the day. *Pro-Tip: keep your workspace organized. Clutter will overwhelm you and your brain will want to avoid it at all costs.

• Eliminate distractions. If you don’t need wifi to work, then cut it off your phone and computer. If you can work somewhere without a TV or bed in sight, I highly recommend it. If you have kiddos that are constantly vying for your attention, arrange their schedules so that they are engaged in activities they can navigate on their own or with the help of an older sibling while you work. With my three-year-old, we have special educational iPad games (a puzzle one that he LOVES) and a collection of play doh and accessories that we  are allowed to play with ONLY when mommy is working. That way instead of being miserable while I work, he gets a special treat he enjoys. *Pro-Tip: If you have an older sibling that can help, put them in charge of things like craft, nap, and snack time too. Prep craft materials and snack size ziplock bags of grapes (cut in half, because they will definitely choke while you’re on a deadline and nothing messes up your day like a trip to Children’s ER), goldfish, dried fruit, etc. Have a specific scheduled nap time and routine an older sibling can manage. My 10 year old sets reminders on her Alexa Echo Dot to keep her and my son on schedule throughout the day. It makes her feel important and I make sure to remind her how much I appreciate her help. (And yeah, okay, sometimes we straight up bribe her.)

• Don’t forget to rest your eyes and stretch your legs periodically. Sitting and staring at a computer for hours on end is not good for your physical health, though it is necessary for some jobs. Remember to take small (5-10 minute breaks) during the day to give your eyes a break and your stretch your muscles a bit. Eye fatigue is a real thing and those muscles will get strained and make you feel sleepy as well. 

*These may seem obvious, but here’s the non-obvious one.

• During non-work hours, UNPLUG. Say it with me. 

U

N

P

L

U

G.

It can be easy to check emails while kids are bathing, text co-workers/team members while playing outside, edit through dinner, update social media in bed, etc. 

Resist the urge. 

Working from home does not mean you are at the office 24/7. Be 100% present for your family when it’s their time. Don’t make them compete for your attention with social media and sales numbers. Not to mention, talk about an express lane to burnout. If you don’t ever unplug, you’ll be consumed by  stress and overwhelm in no time. Trust me. 

I hope this was helpful! Have work from home tips? Share them with us in the comments!

Welcome!

I'm Caisey, a romance writing, brand building, content creating mompreneur!

Whether you're looking for updates on my latest novels or resources for writers and aspiring authors, I'm so glad you're here!

Have a look around! Be sure to join the Free Resource Library and click the Free Book link to get your Free goods!

FREE RESOURCES FOR WRITERS

Join the Challenge!

FOLLOW