How to work effectively at home?

Until recently, working from home was reserved for artists, writers, and small business owners. This trend is changing a lot, more and more people not only work from home. And although such work has many advantages - saving time and money on commuting to the office, avoiding the stresses of standing in traffic jams or the possibility of having a home lunch every day, for many people it can turn out to be a trap. Today I am telling you my 5 principles that allow me to be productive at home, because it is still an important part of my life.

1. Create your work corner

If you work from home, make sure you arrange a work corner. There are many profits from such a solution. First of all, it's fun to arrange and buy new things or adapt old ones - well, I can't believe that only I enjoy it. Of course, it does not have to be a whole room for work at once, all you need is a corner, desk or secretary, or even a shelf, which will separate your work space in your head and in the minds of your household members. You can really do it anywhere. In our first apartment, 32 sq m (two rooms, kitchen and bathroom + cat) on one wall in the living room, we hung two shelves along its entire length - one was used as a desk, the other one for documents. A separate place where you work will allow you to keep a distance between your private and professional life. And most importantly - you must also be comfortable - I assume that you will not only work one hour a day. Working on the couch or at the coffee table will not end well for your spine, and will not allow you to clearly define whether you are still at work, or if it is already over. Especially if you do not live alone, your stay in such a corner sends your family members a clear message - I work, which may not necessarily be said about sitting with a laptop on your lap, right?

Ideally, your workspace should also inspire you to feel great in it. As a teenager, I cut inspirational clippings from old magazines and newspapers - beautiful views, interiors, people, props and stuck them on the wall creating an artistic disorder. Later, I added spiderwebs braided from a string to which I pinned cards, and finally newspaper clippings settled in frames for a few zlotys.

2. Dress and paint as if you were going to the office

Did you know that you don't have makeup on the phone? A colleague from the office told me that once. When she overslept for work, the first thing she did when she came to our room was makeup. Working in pajamas has never helped anyone in their lives - unless those ladies who practice the oldest profession in the world ;-). Professional appearance translates into a professional approach to your work. Okay, you don't have to sit at home wearing a shirt and high heels - I don't do it myself, but a neat, neat appearance and outfit are a must. I am always getting ready to work from home so that I can be ready to leave the house in just 3 minutes.

3. Set working hours

Are you thinking - is it not why I want to work from home, start my own business, to work for hours? And you are right! Therefore, set the working hours that you will stick to, but allow yourself any exceptions. Why? Fixed working hours, even if different for the days of the week, will help you find balance in your life and organize yourself better. I've been working on my own for 10 years, so I know what I'm talking about. However, do not forget that working from home, you have the right to benefit from it, such as the fact that you can make an appointment at the hairdresser at 12 (and thus get faster) or walk for an hour in the fresh air every day. However, try to work at 110% during working hours and switch off completely after work. My favorite proverb? Work hard and play hard.

4. Keep an eye on your budget

Working for yourself, you can lose track of your home and business expenses. Company money is mixed with money for investments and shopping in the supermarket, and liquidity, especially at the beginning, is different. Sometimes it is easy to fall under the illusion that we really have a lot in between, when it comes to a calculation from the accountant which shows that almost everything we have accumulated on the account in 5 days we have to return to the Tax Office. Therefore, it is worth separating the company budget from the private one and creating separate bank accounts from the very beginning. In addition, pay your salary based on the full financial result from the previous month, providing a financial buffer for taxes, fees and unexpected expenses in your company account.

5. Get organized

To work effectively at home or for yourself requires great organizational skills. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than the beautiful and useful planning tools you can read about here. In crisis situations, that is on days when "I don't know what to put my hands into", I am helped by various methods of time organization, such as Pomodoro. I will write about my favorite methods another time.

Best of all - many of these tips also work if you don't work, but you take care of the house - I don't know if you know, but in my opinion it's a much more demanding job than organizing a wedding for 200 people.

And how are you?

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