Many people who work from home enjoy the flexibility it offers. Working from home can be a great way to spend more time with your family, or if you are a freelancer, it can allow you to work from wherever you want. However, it can also be hard to find the time to be in a good mood and to enjoy life.
The most common complaint about working from home is not actually working from home, but the lack of time to take care of yourself. You know the whole routine: you get up in the morning, rush to your computer to work, and by the time you finish, you're tired and hungry. If you're lucky, you've taken the time to do a spot of yoga or walk the dog, but that's not enough if you want to keep up your health. Making time for yourself is one of the major keys to finding happiness and wellbeing when you work from home.
So here are a few simple steps that can help you make the most of your time working from home.
1. Work with a timer and a simple to-do list
The best way to make sure that you get everything you need done and still have time for yourself is to work with a timer and make a to-do list.
Create a 30-minute to-do list every morning. This way, your mornings will be much more productive. You'll be surprised how much you can get done with just 30 minutes each day.
Working with a timer will show you how much time you actually have to yourself each day. When you're ready to start your workday, set the timer for 30 minutes and don't stop working until the timer goes off. This approach allows no time for distractions and helps you focus on the task at hand. When it goes off, take a 10-minute break and then start another 30-minute block of work.
2. Start a morning routine or ritual
By establishing a morning routine or ritual, you can quickly change the way you feel while you're getting ready to work.
Think of what you like to do in the morning. It could be anything: a quick run, or a cup of coffee and a newspaper or magazine before getting started on your work. Starting your day off with something that you enjoy will help provide you with a positive outlook for the rest of your day.
If you need to change what you do in the morning, consider adding an exercise routine into your life. It's a great way to re-energise yourself to get started with your day.
3. Take a proper lunch break (and smaller breaks throughout the day)
To avoid feeling drained and overwhelmed, take a real lunch break every day. Don't eat at your desk - get out of the house and spend at least one hour away from home on purpose.
No matter how hard you work, you need a break every once in a while. This is especially true when you're working from home, because there's often no separation between work and home life. Taking breaks during the afternoon will help you feel much more relaxed when your workday is over.
You can also use this time to do something that gives you joy or feels good, so your work won’t feel all-consuming. These breaks make all the difference in how positive you feel about working from home.
4. Schedule time for relaxation
We all have those days that go on forever and - before we know it - it's dark outside. If you work from home, this is especially true for you. It's easy to get lost in your work and forget about everything else. If you don't schedule time for yourself on your calendar, you might find yourself looking up from your laptop to find it's 9pm and you haven't even taken a lunch break.
To avoid this, you need to schedule some time that you "own". This might be a 30-minute walk with your dog, or an hour spent chatting with friends. When you take time out of your day to do something relaxing, it's much easier to find the time and energy to look after yourself properly.
5. Learn about mindfulness techniques
Mindfulness is a popular practice in the health and wellness world. It’s the practice of being fully aware of your surroundings and anything happening in your life. It's about focusing on the present moment, rather than thinking about what happened in the past or worrying about the future. Mindfulness can be especially helpful for anyone who works from home and finds it difficult to separate from work.
In conclusion, everyone needs time and space for themselves, and working from home only makes this more important. Taking time for yourself is a vital part of maintaining a healthy work-life balance - whether you work from home or in an office, taking time to de-stress and relax is important.
It is also important to keep in mind that the time you take for yourself isn't lost time — it's time to recharge, so that you can be more productive when you return to work. Having some 'me time' in your day makes all the difference to your energy levels, productivity, and mood.
