How to Work from Home Like a Pro!

Who doesn’t want a career where you have the ability to work from anywhere. I would love to travel around Canada one day, from coast to coast, without the worry of not being able to make money. As long as there is Wi-Fi (public Wi-Fi is great!) and a power source, you can enjoy my time off while still being able to get your work in! That being said, this is definitely the right career choice for my lifestyle.

I love the fact that when my fiancé travels to cool locations for work. Having the option of joining him, without having to take vacation. Working while he is at work and then go exploring with him in the evening. I can even do some exploring on my own during the day (remember to take a break from lunch!), to places that he might not be as excited to see, like art museums.

Cons of Working from Home

Although, working from home is not always ideal. Sometimes it is hard to stay motivated, with the dog giving you the “let’s just go outside and play for a bit” eyes. Or how about the PVR full of un-viewed episodes of Suits, just sitting there waiting for you to watch them. Not to mention your pool glistening in the sun, calling your name on a hot summer’s day. At the beginning, distractions come easily and they’re pretty much everywhere. Now all I do is think of all the stuff I want to do throughout the day and save it for my much-deserved break. I can still take Willson (our puppy) for a walk at lunch and even go for a swim with him afterwards, as long as I get back to working when my lunchtime is over.

Another problem work-from-homers run into is not taking a break or putting down your pen/ pencil/ keyboard when the workday is over. When you are in charge of your working hours, it is hard to tell yourself to get up and walk away, or to not sneak back in to your office before bed. My advice to you is: close the door to your office, turn off your laptop or computer – yes actually turn it off. Don’t click sleep or let the screen saver come on, just turn it off!

Staying on Track

Although there are a lot of ways to get distracted, having a schedule with a to-do-list on a daily basis is a great way to stay on track. If you have a list of 10 projects to get done that day, make sure you finish them before giving in to the refreshing swimming pool. Another way to stay on track is to have a different schedule depending on the forecast for the week. There is nothing wrong with doing 10 hours on a rainy day, to make up for a 5-hour workday on a sunny day. Having the flexibility to do this is one of the perks of working for yourself. Just a note, I’m using a 7-hour workday scenario, but not everyone has this schedule, so adjust it to your own needs.

Another easy way to get distracted is with a messy, unorganized office. Having a super organized office with a super messy desk will do nothing for you. In order to clear your mind for thinking, keep your whole office clean: vacuum the floors, dust the shelves and your screen, throw out the trash and recycling on a regular basis and keep your desk clean and clear of any clutter.

Taking Breaks

When you are working in a creative field, sometimes you need to take a break in order to keep your creative juices flowing. There is nothing wrong with this. In fact a lot of creative industry-leading companies, for example Google, have gyms, arcade games, yoga studios and even nap nooks for their creative teams. I tend to get a lot of inspiration for my blog and design projects when I am in nature, going for a walk or in meditation at yoga. This is why I have a small water fountain in my office! It helps keep my mind clear and focused.

Here are the keys to working from home like a pro:

• keep a schedule
• make a to-do- list every morning
• stay active, mentally, physically, emotionally
• there is no harm in taking a 10 minute mental break, this will actually prevent you from wasting more time
• keep your work-space clean and tidy

Let me know what your working from home pro tips are!