During this self-isolation & quarantine period, we, freelancers, may have the best insights on how to productively work from home without losing your sh*t. It may not be as glamorous and easy as it sounds, but it’s doable and convenient.
These tips and rules are what have kept us sane while doing home office for the past 4 years. We hope they help you too!
Rule #1: Stick to a routine
This is one of the hardest lessons we’ve learned. Our first week of home office was thrilling. We didn’t wake up to a merciless alarm at 5:00 am, stressed out about arriving on time to the office (Mexico City’s traffic can be really hectic), and we could work in our pj’s if we wanted to.
The next weeks were awful. We found ourselves working until 3:00-4:00 am because it was hard to concentrate during the day and our sleeping schedule got all messed up, which brought in a whole lot of health issues: migraines, anxiety, dehydration, etc.
So, let us save you a trip to the doctor’s office: having a routine IS VERY IMPORTANT.
Wake up early, take a shower, put on makeup (even if it is only mascara) and get dressed. The shower will wake you up and give you energy, and getting out of your pj’s will help you emotionally. If you aren’t convinced, this is actually a tip every doctor/psychologist gives to people in their old age to avoid depression.
Rule #2: Run a tight home office schedule
When you don’t leave the house it is easy to lose track of the time, so put alarms on for everything, such as tea/coffee breaks, lunch, dinner, and bedtime, and stick to them.
Also, keep your old office hours and disconnect completely at a certain time. You may have already noticed that since you’re at home and have your computer with you, some co-workers or clients feel that they can reach you all day long. Be polite, but let them know your working schedule.
Rule #3: Pre-cook your lunch
Working from home doesn’t mean you have more time in your hands. In fact, more than ever, you have to manage your time efficiently. Prepare all your meals the night before or on the weekend, so that you can spend your lunch break actually enjoying your meal, not cooking it.
And don’t work while eating. Your brain needs these small periods of rest, to be more productive. Just like when you used to leave the office to go to lunch or buy a cup of coffee.
Rule #4: Designate a working space
Many people suggest having only one working space. That doesn’t work for us, and it might not work for you either. We say, have multiple working spaces around the house and change between them as often as you begin to get restless. The only rule here is to NEVER work from your bed.
It may not seem like a big deal, but after doing it for a long time, we can tell you it is. It will alter your sleep and it’ll be difficult to re-wire the body into thinking your bed is a space to unwind and slow down the brain activity.
Rule #5: Watch your diet
Between the easy access to your cupboards and the anxiety caused by the actual situation, you’ll start to eat more and therefore gain weight. It’s a painful fact, but it’s one that can be easily managed. Stick to a routine and only eat your 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, keeping them relatively healthy.
If you weren’t a baker before the quarantine, now is not the time to jump on this new career. You will eat the entire banana bread loaf in one day, just like we did.
Rule #6: Find the time to workout
Working out will help with the anxiety and weight gain, but most importantly: your body needs to get tired. Who knew that not moving enough could also affect our sleeping patterns…
These Youtube videos may help:
–Yoga for beginners
–Total Body Pilates
–Full body Workout
–Dance Workout
Rule #7: Have a ‘do not disturb’ sign
This sign is a must if you’re at home with your partner, kids or roommates. Everyone has different schedules and workloads, so constant distractions are bound to happen, and they will screw up your productivity. Remember: just because you’re home doesn’t mean you’re available.
Rule #8: Keep a journal
Not having so many external stimuli will make your mind wander off more often. The best tip to keep your focus is to ease your brain by writing down every idea that comes up and re-visit it when you’re done with work.
These rules have worked for us, but feel free to adjust them according to your needs. And if you have more tips, please share them below. We will all benefit from them.
Stay home, stay safe and good luck with your home office adventure!
Other posts you may enjoy:
–A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation: how to de-stress after work.
–Traveling with Dysautomia: 10 Tips and Tricks
