Reclaim your “Work from Home Zen”

Zen
A morning commute to a home office (or the kitchen table) is a wonderful opportunity to think and work without the typical interruptions that come up in an office. It’s also a potential shortcut to driving off the cliffs of reclaimed productivity and into the sea of the uninspired. Here are a few tips to keep you on track and motivated every day.
Embrace your morning “commute” Wake up to an alarm as if you were commuting to an office. Make a healthy breakfast. Get dressed (shirt and pants optional). Read a chapter in a book, or go for a stroll, or learn meditation. Declare your intention for the day. Waking up on a schedule provides inherent structure to the day, which is vitally important to your productivity – work and otherwise.
Communicate Working from home does not mean working in silence; in fact, it’s more important to communicate regularly when you work from home. Start your day checking in with clients and your team. This will give you a sense of community and ensures everyone is on the same page!
Leverage your evening “commute” It is easy to fall into the habit of not leaving the house, especially when you don’t have to! In the spirit of maintaining a healthy and productive daily schedule, take advantage of the time you save not having to commute to enjoy exercise and fresh air. It may sound cliché but getting the body active and energized will translate to a more inspired work day.
Shower I’m not saying this to acknowledge any stereotypes (ahem, work-from-home developers!). Just because you don’t have to make yourself presentable for the office does not mean you do not benefit from making yourself presentable. As simple as this sounds, taking a shower and putting on clean clothes makes you feel better, makes it easier to get out when the mood strikes, and makes those client/team video chats a little less scary for others.
Capitalize on your creativity Feel a creative wave coming on at 8pm but you’ve already clocked out for the day? Creativity can show up at all hours, and while I do not condone breaking family dinner for an impromptu coding session, make a note and revisit after the dishes are done. This is one of the most important benefits unique to working from home, you can strike when the motivation hits. Optimizing break time is equally important. Lasso your focus and step away for a moment if you’re spinning your wheels.
More working remote goodness below:

  • Working from Home in 5 Simple Steps
  • Introvert’s Guide to Working Remote