Coronavirus has forced so many people to work from home, and if you’ve never worked remotely, then you may be wondering how you’re actually supposed to get anything done…especially when you have kids at home! I thought the same thing when I first began working from home over ten years ago. Keep Reading To Discover My Top Tips For Working At Home.
Be sure to look over these 151+ FREE Kids Educational Resources for Parents and Educators!
One thing is for sure…there’s going to be a ton of people who are going to learn an appreciation for those of us who have been working from home for years.
It’s not easy at all. Don’t get me wrong–I absolutely feel blessed that I’ve had the freedom to work remotely and after this article I hope you’ll feel more confident! Here’s Everything You Need To Know About Working From Home:
How To Work From Home And Actually Get Stuff Done
1. Get up at the same time every day.
Routine. It’s important you set a routine from the beginning, and that includes waking up the same time every day, if you want to set yourself up for success. Maybe if you do a really good job with this whole work from home experience, your boss won’t make you ever waste 2 hours in traffic every day ever again.
2. Set your alarm clock for 2 hours before anyone else wakes up.
You’ll be amazed at all the things you’re able to accomplish when you’re the first one out of bed. By the time everyone else starts waking up at 7 am and 8 am, you will be half-way through your day.
3. Make time to exercise or meditate.
Me time is basically a necessity at this point. This is another benefit of waking up 2 hours before anyone else…you get all that time just for yourself.
4. Take a shower.
Don’t let yourself go.
5. Dress up for work like you normally would.
Basically, you’ll feel better about yourself. Sure, pajama bottoms might feel more comfortable, but you’re going to feel like crap after a few days. Ain’t nothing uplifting about sweatpants.
6. If you have kids, talk to them about your new work schedule.
Kids need to know what to expect. This is an uncertain time for all of us.
7. Make your kids a homeschool schedule.
I really like these ideas:
- 151 FREE Kids Educational Resources for Parents and Educators
- 12 Moms Share Their Stuck At Home School Schedules – via Kids Activities Blog
- Confessions of a Homeschooler
- Create a Home School Schedule that Works <– FREE Printable!
8. Wear headphones.
Have big kids? Have no kids? Have someone who can watch the kids? You need headphones. Not only will they cancel out all that noise, but they can also be used to listen to music. Here’s some music resources:
- Spotify <– free coronavirus party playlists
- YouTube Music
- Soundcloud
- COVID-19 <– an artist turned coronavirus DNA into music
9. Have a dedicated work space.
Stake your claim at home. This is your spot. Do not share it with anyone else. Kids older? Consider setting up in your bedroom and shutting the door.
10. Use tools for video conferencing.
Here’s some of my favorites:
- Zoom Meetings – schools can currently get Zoom Meetings FREE
- GoToMeeting – your employer can currently get GoToMeeting for 3 months FREE
- Google Hangouts Meet – works with business Skype
11. Make yourself a To-Do list and check off items.
Activate your brain’s reward center by creating a To-Do list and checking it off every time you complete an item. This can be as simple as writing a list on a page of notebook paper, creating a list in your smartphone’s calendar, using an app or even a spreadsheet.
12. Get a whiteboard and large calendar to put on the wall.
Something big enough it’s right in your face and easily accessible.
13. Gather up these basic office tools.
- printer paper, pencils, pens, sticky notes, to-do list pad, binder clips, paper clips, hanging or regular files, markers
- your new hidden snack stash (broccoli bag in the freezer works well)
- daily work planner
- we love gsuite for email, meetings, documents, spreadsheets, and more
- A headset with mouthpiece so you can have hands-free calls without putting your phone on speaker (we can all tell).
Can we please all agree after this that NO ONE needs a fax machine in 21st century? Not an essential office tool. <I’m looking at you IRS>
14. Make a meal plan.
Always have a plan. Everyone’s budget is really tight right now, and so it just makes sense to be prepared. You’ll stress less about what you’re eating this week if you plan your meals ahead of time.
15. Keep your kitchen sink and counter tops clean.
The sage advice of Fly Lady (she’s been around since 2001) has been well-respected for years. Anyone familiar with Marla Cilly knows you should keep your kitchen sink clean. I can’t explain it. You’ll just overall have a better day.
16. Make your bed.
If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.
17. Avoid the temptation to scroll social media.
It’s way too easy to get sucked into the black hole of social media. Limit yourself to 5 minute breaks every once hour. Better yet, only scroll social media when you’re using the bathroom. Drink more water perhaps?
18. Place firm boundaries so your friends don’t take advantage of you.
It’s okay to say no. In fact, you probably need to say no more often. If you say yes, it’s ok to call and tell them no later if it’s not going to work out for you. Don’t feel good about backing out of something you committed to? Stop saying yes to everything then.
19. Keep phone conversations short.
Don’t let anyone hijack your time by keeping you on the phone. 15 minutes is all most phone calls need. Sometimes 30 minutes. We’re all about to really find out just how many face-to-face waste-of-your-time can-I-buy-you-coffee meetings we actually need.
20. Use the mute feature.
No one wants to hear screaming Sally, hacking Henry or barking Fido in the background.
21. Use a crock pot. It’s like having a built-in chef.
Grab a few crock pot recipes, put the ingredients in your crock pot in the morning, and dinner (or lunch) is served almost magically.
22. Frustrated? Take a deep breath.
You’re probably going to have to lower your expectations from here on out. Little Timmy is going to throw a fit while you’re on a conference call and your co-worker, Brian, can’t get his stuff together.
23. Get used to a messier than normal house.
You’re going to be too tired to clean after a day of working from home. That’s what happens when you work from home (with kids). Impossible? No. But if it happens, let it be. It’s a good thing we can’t have anyone over right now?
24. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
Working from home is harder than you think. Some days you’ll get everything on your To-Do list completed…most days you won’t. If you have kids, quit judging yourself for not being a perfect parent. Feeling overwhelmed? Reach out and talk it through with someone you trust, your therapist or get help.
25. Gain an appreciation for those that work from home.
Use this time working from home to gain an appreciation for what it takes to do your job or run a business and a household at the same time.
How To Work From Home And Actually Get Stuff Done
Coronavirus has forced so many people to work from home, and if you’ve never worked remotely, then read this so you can Discover My Top Tips For Working At Home.
Here’s more business advice and ways to keep kids occupied:
- 151+ FREE Kids Educational Resources for Parents and Educators
- 15 Adorable Toilet Paper Roll Crafts
- 17 Educational YouTube Videos and Channels for Kids
- How Online Articles Bring You Customers
- How To Get Started With Live Video In 3 Days
What are you doing to stay on track while working from home? Follow and tag us on social media @metroplexsocial for more ideas!
Super Fun Toilet Paper Roll Crafts For Kids
