How to Actually Work...When You're Working at Home

0:28This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. Back Support is made with a blend of melatonin and L-theanine for both kiddos and grown-ups. So when your mind won't switch off, you've got something that can help. Erasing thoughts and restless nights won't stand a chance. Find Oli Sleep Solutions for the whole family at Oli.com. That's O-L-L-Y dot com. Today, more and more people are getting the opportunity to work from home, which is great. But sometimes, like what's happening right now with the coronavirus, certain circumstances may actually force people to work from home. And while working from home does come with a lot of perks, you get to work in your pajamas, you have no commutes, you get to hang out with your dog.

1:08I love you. It also does have some real challenges. Because there's less structure, you may actually work too much and focus too hard and get burned out. What's the ant-art? The second is actually kind of the opposite. It might just be hard to focus and get as much done as you really want to do. The key to overcoming both of these challenges is to set boundaries around your time and space. So when you're working, you're working. And when you're not working, you're not. Here's how. The first thing you're going to want to do is give yourself a dedicated workspace away from distraction, meaning away from the TV, away from any music or the kitchen.

1:47One thing that's really helpful is to be able to shut the door so that you're out of sight.

1:56The second thing you want to do is make a schedule and stick to it. And it may sound silly, but you actually want to pretend that you're not working from home. So get up as you normally would, pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit down with your computer. It's good practice to play out for yourself what's acceptable and not acceptable to do during office hours. So for example, when you're at work, you're not going to play with your dog or listen to music.

2:25So don't do them while you're at home actually focusing on your work. Finally, you're going to want to quit at quitting time. Even if you're in the middle of a project, put it down because it'll help you get jump started the next day. Do you want to get me sipping my coffee?

2:43The third thing you're going to want to do is set boundaries. The people or animals in your life are going to see you at home and think you're taking the day off, but that's not the case. Buddy, I need you to listen to me. I know what this looks like, but it's not what it seems. You're gonna want to explain to them, unapologetically, that you're working from home. We'll go on a walk at lunch, we'll go to the park, and the more they see you around the house doing your thing, the more they're gonna begin to understand that this is your time to focus. So at the end of the day, you might feel like you just didn't get enough done.

3:18This is pretty normal and a lot of people feel this way when they work from home. That's why the last thing that's really important to do is celebrate your wins. Maybe you write them down and go over everything you did that day. These daily reminders are really good because they can create a virtuous cycle and the next time you work from home you might feel a little bit more focused and just like better about your day when it's over because it's not easy.

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