Today marks my sixth day working from home, which doesn’t exactly qualify me as an expert on the subject. But,  I’ve gathered ten tips that have helped me, to help you. Because I’ve never worked from home for an extended time before, I’m thinking of WFH as a neglected muscle that will get stronger with time. It’s all about perspective, a good attitude and these ten things to keep in mind to make working from home work for you.

1. Keep your routine

Photo courtesy of Photo c/o Unsplash

At first, it may be difficult to use your commute time productively when you could sleep in or sink further into your couch while watching the morning news. Getting dressed in the morning will also prove to be more challenging than expected. Try to choose something at least twice a week that doesn’t have an elastic waistband. Trust me, there are few things I love more than sweatpants and sleeping in, but keeping a normal workday routine, from the hour you wake up to the outfit you put on (even if it’s just a fresh pair of stretchies), will get you in the workday mindset. 

Photo courtesy of Photo c/o Camden Gaines Ranch

2. Find the right set-up

Think about your tech, tools and workspace. If you have multiple spaces in your Camden apartment home you could work from, try them all and see which feels best. Depending on your daily duties, set yourself up where your tech is working to its fullest potential, so you can too. If you’re building a workspace from scratch, don’t forget about good posture and use what you have, to optimize your space. For example, a stack of books or yoga block can be used as a riser for your laptop so there’s less strain on your neck.

Photo courtesy of Photo c/o Unsplash

3. Limit distractions

You might think you’ve found the one – the perfect set-up – at your kitchen counter because of all that glorious space. Then, you may find yourself eyeing all those dishes that need to be done.  If this happens, it might be a good idea to find another ‘desk’. It’s hard to separate work life and home life when working from home, but it can be done. If your regular workday didn’t include daytime television, your workday at home probably shouldn’t either.

Photo courtesy of Photo c/o Pexels

4. Check-in regularly

With your manager or supervisor, with your coworkers, with your friends and family. In an uber-connected world, socially distancing yourself from everyone can take a toll – just writing that sentence was tough. We can’t pop-in the office next to ours, or see friends at this week’s social run, or see family at Sunday dinner, but we can make an effort to check-in.

Photo courtesy of Photo c/o Unsplash

5. Make time for FaceTime

Phone calls, texts, and meme exchanges are one thing, but FaceTime is also important. We’re all navigating these unchartered waters together and with our check-ins, sprinkling in some FaceTime can make us feel more human.

6. Set boundaries

Set boundaries with everyone living under one roof – your roommate, your partner or spouse, and with your kids. If space will allow, set physical boundaries for workspace(s), homework/reading space and space to play. Set boundaries with time and use the timer on your phone to assist with the flow of a new routine.

7. Schedule breaks

Lunch, snack, movement, coffee, stretch breaks. If you’ve thought about trying the Pomodoro Technique, maybe now is the time?

Photo courtesy of Photo c/o Camden Cimarron

8. Get outside

Move your body. Go for a walk, jog, run or bike ride. Break out the jump rope or take the yoga mat outside on your patio. It’s important for our minds and body to get outside and stay moving.

9. Shut it down

It’s a slippery slope to keep working outside of your normal working hours. An extra hour today can become three hours later by the end of the week. You might be thinking, “well, what else do I have to do?” So much! Not that you have to be doing, but you could be doing – like learning a new skill or language, dabbling in new hobbies, virtually touring a museum, or taking an Ivy League course that interests you. Yes, that is really an option – view a list of courses here.

10. Stay positive

We’re all in this together.

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