Now, when more and more people are starting to work from home due to pandemic and isolation, it seems like how remote work has become our new reality, and it will maybe last longer than the pandemic. I believe that, in the future, a lot of people won’t go back to their office because they will realize that numerous jobs can actually be done at home.

For example, I am a freelancer for more than three years now, and I definitely know what problems you are dealing with as someone who has just recently started working from home.

Can you be as effective as you were in the office? The answer is yes! You can even have a better quality of life and more organized time if you catch some tips and tricks related to remote and home jobs.

This is my list:

Know when you will start and end your work. The thing with the clock and working from home may be a very tricky one. You may think: ”This is great, I don’t have to wake up before 12 p.m.!” But think again. If you really don’t set the time when you will work, you may find yourself working the entire day! Besides that, you will feel like you have barely done anything. So, set the time. Let’s say that you will work from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For me, the best is to be available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and then again from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Find what works for you best.

Make some space. You don’t have to own a special ‘business’ room in your home to stay productive. Yet, you definitely need your ‘home office’. I have started working from the dining table and been working like that for more than 6 months. And it was awful… Now, I have a special working table I love. I recommend that you surround it with what makes you inspired. I have put some pictures all around, my phone has its own place, notes, a glass of water, or you name it… Prepare your work table.

Don’t get distracted. I know, working from home with children around or your partner may be definitely bad for your concentration. You must talk to your family, if you don’t live alone, and tell them how to respect your work time. When you are working, you are not cooking, ironing, hoovering, or you name it at the same time, okay?

Get dressed. This one is also tricky. People often imagine freelancers and others who are working from home to be in pajamas all day. But you know what? I am not in my pajamas, and you shouldn’t be as well. Get up, dress up, and act as you would go to the office. This is amazing for productivity, but it is also great for motivation and self-confidence.

Mealtime. Be sure to have your own pauses when needed. Plan ahead when and what will you eat that day. Be sure to never skip lunch, and especially breakfast…

Be physically active. You definitely have to get some physical activity in your daily schedule. When you work from home, you become more inactive, but you can easily change that with a little bit of yoga or a home workout you like.

Please don’t multitask. Caught yourself answering an email, scrolling Instagram at the same time, and taking care that your lunch is being cooked on time? Although it may seem that you can do all these tasks at the same time just because you are home, trust me, with time, it will all end messed up and you won’t do one thing right – but many of them bad.

Plan ahead. Take some time the evening before and plan your day ahead. Write down all the obligations you have for tomorrow. When will you go grocery shopping? With what task will you start first? Do you have some emails to respond to?

Disconnect. The last but not the least, be sure that you really know when and how to completely get offline and stop working. Disconnect yourself from the Internet and work once you are done, so you can continue living your life and enjoying your free time.

Bonus tip – Don’t rush to work immediately when you wake up, take some time for yourself, and spend it in peace.

How is your experience with working from home?

Do you prefer working in the office more?