Work from Home Like a PRO! Check out our Top 10 Tips for Success.

Working from home is NOT AS EASY as you may think.

At first, working from home may sound AWESOME. Never worry again about being late to the office, wrinkles on your clothes or distracting co-workers. You set your own day without anyone looking over your shoulder. Your day belongs entirely to you. Total FREEDOM. Imagine all of the things you will get done!

But then the reality sets in. . . working from home is HARDER than it looks. Without anyone telling you when and where to be, you are now entirely accountable to yourself. Like most of us, you have probably spent a day or two (Ahem) shuffling around your home in PJ's, working between your computer, your phone and your couch, struggling to make sense of your day and focus. At 530PM you might feel like NOTHING was accomplished despite working ALL DAY and you still haven't put pants on. *#^$*%!

If this resonates with you, take comfort and know that you are NOT ALONE. It took us years of working from home to develop a routine for success and it was done through many hours of trial and error. No one expects you to figure this out overnight, but we would love to help if we can.

Here is our TOP 10 LIST of things you can incorporate in to your DAILY HABITS today that will make everyday feel like a NEW DAY.

1. Set your Alarm. 

It may seem fun for a day or two to wake up at 10:30. But be warned, there is a dark side to the daily sleep in. Starting your day late can lead to depression and anxiety. Even if work has slowed down for you, make it a habit to set your alarm and get up as though you have somewhere to be. You'll find that clocking out early feels so much better than clocking in late. 

2. Take a Shower and Get Dressed.

DO NOT wake up and get straight to work. Let me be more clear. Do not wake up and work in your Pajamas. It's important when working from home to maintain your morning rituals. Take a moment to workout, shower, make coffee, and get dressed. Feel free to edit the list, but make sure you do the last one. Get dressed. It's important for your mental and physical well being. Your cat will thank you.

3. Pick a Spot For Work and Keep Your Work There.

You may be working from home, but that doesn't mean your home has to become your office. To prevent this common pitfall, pick one spot in your house to be your desk and restrict all of your work to this one spot. Do not work from the sofa, the kitchen counter or the bathroom if that isn't your designated spot. I know this is a tough one, but it's important to maintain your work/life balance. Keep your home sacred and compartmentalize. 

4. Make a list of your goals for the day.

What do you want to accomplish today? Write it down somewhere. Now pick the one thing on your list that will make the whole day feel like a WIN. Make that one thing your number one goal for the day and make sure it's something you can accomplish. Work toward making that milestone and celebrate when you do. Goals are a critical component to feeling good and earning that celebration.

5. Create a Schedule for the Day.

Now that you have your goals set, put them in to a calendar. Most of us aren't packing our days with appointments, but that doesn't mean your calendar isn't critical in defining your day. Fill in your calendar with the goals you've set and their estimated time for completion. Don't worry if some things on your calendar don't get finished . . . you can always add them to tomorrow. But the point here is to hold yourself accountable for the goals you've set and to keep focused on what you want to accomplish. When you finish your day and you realize how many things you crossed off the list, the satisfaction will make all of that prep worth it. 

6. Build in Breaks and Don't Forget to Eat.

It can be easy to get in to a groove and forget to hit the pause button. But working until your eyes bleed, your fingers cramp and your bladder is on the verge of bursting is not good. When you create your schedule, make sure to schedule in time to eat lunch, stand up and stretch, check in with your sister or just close your eyes for a moment. You'll find that a 15 minute break throughout the day will make your productivity soar and you will be a much happier human.

7. Stick to your Schedule. 

Regardless of whether your schedule is filled with tasks for business or pleasure, make sure you stay focused on the goals you have set for yourself. Your list may grow or change throughout the day, and that's ok. But it is important to treat your schedule seriously and with the respect it deserves. After all, it was created by you based on things you want to accomplish. The laundry, the phone calls, and the nagging dirty dishes can wait. If you get to the end of the day and you still have things on your list, celebrate what you have accomplished and move what's left to tomorrow.

Tip: Share your schedule with your family and house mates so they can support you in your efforts. Now is the time to set boundaries.

8. Don't Get Distracted. Turn off your Notifications.

You heard me. Turn them off. As painful as it may seem, this is good for you. With all that is happening in the world today, it is easy to get distracted. Somehow a quick glance at Insta can quickly turn in to an hour of scrolling and searching. It is a time suck that will leave you feeling exhausted, unproductive and quite possibly, emotionally drained. If you must check in on Instagram, give yourself a time limit and then set an alarm. This will prevent you from losing yourself in the "scroll and click" and keep you focused on what you have set out to do today.

9. At the End of the Day, Put it Away.

When your day is done, clock out. That means put your computer away, store your paperwork and stop talking about work. This is a good habit for all times, but especially when working from home. Workaholics are only sexy in movies and especially now, it is important to pause and reboot.

10. Reward Yourself.

We are living in unusual times and now more than ever, it's important to practice a little self love. At the end of a productive work day, kick back and reward yourself. Soak in a bubble bath, read a book, FaceTime with a friend or try that recipe you've been wanting to test. If your day got derailed, do not beat yourself up. Find something to celebrate and reset your intention for tomorrow. Most importantly, don't give up. It will get easier.

We hope hope you find some helpful tips in this guide. OUR GOAL is to help you feel GOOD at the end of each day. We may be isolating at home, but we are all in this together. 

We'd love to hear from you. If you have some Work From Home Tips of your own TO SHARE, please do so in the comments section below. If you want to get regular updates from us, subscribe to our blog here.

xo.