Working from home: Is your personal life bleeding into your work life?
One of the best things about owning your own business is that you have complete control over where and when you work, and working from home is, for some, the epitome of those benefits. But even though working from home may sound on paper (no more late-night laundry!), in practice it can be hard to adjust. There’s a definite learning curve involved in suddenly controlling how your time is structured: think of it like moving into college, where you suddenly have to nag yourself to do your own homework instead of having your parents around to remind you.
Of course, working from home really can’t be compared to doing homework; You likely have many more personal responsibilities than you did in high school or college (kids, pets, household duties, more time commitments, etc.), and these important priorities outside of work combine to create serious distractions for you. And you’re not working to get a good grade, you’re working to make a living.
When your work life and personal life are mostly centered around the same location, how can you keep the two separate so you can continue to maintain them effectively? With a few mind tricks, you can rewire your brain so you can switch from “free time” to “work time” when you need to. That is how.
Separate your home office from your home.
Make this your mantra: Your workspace is not your living space. Going back to the homework analogy: If you’re doing your homework in bed, one of two things is likely to happen: Your concentration on your work will be affected because your brain is preparing for sleep, or your sleep will be affected because you can’t stop working when it’s time to go to bed. Ideally, you can’t even see your desk from your couch or your bed, and vice versa.
Of course, not everyone is lucky enough to have a spare room. What if you work in an open space? No problem. When I moved into my studio, I simply picked the corner of the studio with the best natural light and walled it off with some shelving. It’s like my own personal cubicle, only I don’t have to wear shoes!
Maximize your work space.
While the comforts of home are great, it’s the convenience of the office that you’re looking for. Invest in the things that will help you streamline your time: Make sure everything you use often is within easy reach. Get a file cabinet and spend the necessary time organizing it. Your home business may be small now, but you need to structure your organizational infrastructure so that if the business takes off, you don’t have to worry about sorting through old, unsorted documents and making room for new customers. For help with this daunting but entirely doable task, check out this excellent article from Entrepreneur in organizing.
Remember: you have full control over your environment. Just because your workspace needs to be organized doesn’t mean it should feel like a dentist’s waiting room. Get out the paint! If you find it hard to tune out your inner dialogue, surround yourself with a cool blue; it will help you focus. If you’re not a morning person and you’re giving it a try, opt for bright colors that help you feel invigorated. If you rent and aren’t allowed to paint, try curtains or rugs. Hang a photo of something that reminds you why you are passionate about your business. Whatever motivates you and helps you focus, do it.
Minimize distractions you can’t eliminate.
Forces beyond your control are conspiring against you. For example, when I take off my headphones and listen to the world around me for a moment, I can hear a snowplow clearing the sidewalks, my refrigerator humming, a truck pulling up outside, at least two neighborhood dogs barking, and my own. dog taking an intense interest in the cause of the ruckus. Luckily, with my headphones on, all I can hear is Brian Eno, an instant buffer from distractions.
Make sure everything on your desk has a reason to be there: pencils, lamps, phone, calendar, reference books, etc. Take a few minutes to carefully judge the objects around you; If you haven’t touched an object in the last week, your desk isn’t your proper home. Find another place for him to live that is out of sight and out of mind.
Set your limits and stick to them.
Friends and family can sometimes focus on the “home” aspect of working from home, listening to the “work” part with deaf ears; It’s up to you to remind them that your home office isn’t your home, it’s your office. Let people know when you’re working (even if it’s your own clock) and firmly tell them that while you’re happy to be available during your free time, work time is for work. If your loved ones aren’t already aware, ask them if they would interrupt you during the day if you were in an office with other co-workers around. The only difference is the location (and the fact that you’re not wearing shoes).
In this sense, it is important that you define your limits not only for your loved ones, but also for yourself. Choose the hours that match your personal circadian rhythm and work practices. If you’re a morning person, hug him. If your best hours of productivity are at night, no problem. Whatever you do, make sure you hold yourself accountable not only for starting on time and putting in the hours, but also for getting back to your personal life after work. Anytime you think your day is done, change your clothes, cook dinner, and relax. You are working from home, but this does not mean that you should take your work home with you. Congratulate yourself on a job well done and stop by today. There is always a tomorrow.