While working from home is the dream for many. However, it often presents a lot more challenges than people expect. From not knowing when to “clock out” or even when to get started.
Productivity and relationships for many often struggle as the person can never feel truly present in either. At times, finding balance between work and life can feel impossible.
Five work-from home entrepreneurs share their advice to remain productive and achieve work-life balance when working from home:
You have to know yourself. You cannot lose sight of what is important to you. In my case, family comes first, and by this I do not mean that work always takes a back seat, but rather, that if I have to stop what I am doing for work to attend to matters with my daughters, mother or husband, I will not think twice.
Do not aim for perfect, aim for what works for you. Create your unique formula. It may be splitting your days in half to dedicate the morning to work and the afternoon and night to your personal and family life, or it may be focusing on work for three days straight and taking a one-day break in between. In my case, I work a five day week but always make sure to take small breaks during the day to recharge. Also, when my daughters get home it’s their time so no more work for me until I put them to bed.
Make sure that you are in control of your daily schedule and plan ahead. Do not forget to set aside time to take care of yourself as well. It is a good way to reset your mind and come back feeling even more productive and energized. - Yaneiza Echezarraga Co-Founder of Twin Minds Media
Changing your scenery can really help when you work from home. Going to a nearby coffeeshop or your neighborhood library gets you out of the house, but I even find a simple change of scenery at home to be inspiring. Throughout the day, I’ll hop from my desk to my couch to my kitchen table to my outdoor patio. It also helps to make these changes when you need to shift gears from task to task. It’s been extremely beneficial for my productivity. - Kayla Hollatz, Copywriter and Brand Strategist
Figure out the time of day when you’re most productive. For some people it’s mornings, other people it’s evenings, for me it’s in between, and run with it. Turn off all of your distractions, make a list of things you need to get done, prioritize them, and get to work. If you’re finding out that you’re making up excuses to not work, then that might be a way of your body telling you to relax. Listen to it. Go do whatever you do to recharge or rest, then come back fully ready to nip the work in the butt. - Mariah Liszewski CEO of Mariah Magazine
Ultimately, the biggest driver in my productivity has been the separation of church and state, so to speak. Since I created a dedicated workspace, rather than than the sofa or arm chair, I’ve found it much easy to stay on-task. For folks that have a little trouble focusing like myself, keep the distractions limited from the get-go, it makes concentrating much easier. While not perfected, I try my best to keep household duties to the morning or during lunch so that I can stay focused on the task at-hand during working hours (and enjoy guilt-free evenings). -David Self, Marketing Manager and Blogger
My number one tip for working from home is creating a schedule for yourself based on your priorities and sticking to it, even if it’s on a day-by-day and case-by-case basis. When work is my priority, I need to block out any personal and lifestyle distractions. When my personal time is my priority, I close my laptop and clean up my workspace so I can fully relax and separate from my work responsibilities. Giving yourself clarity on your priorities for the day, week, and moment make it easier to find work-life balance when working from home.
Nicole Booz is the Editor-in-Chief of GenTwenty and a freelance writer.
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