We have a secret… our Mavens are mostly remote workers anyway! So here are a few best tips that help our team work from home successfully:
- Choose a work area with no distractions.
My best tip is to work in an area where you can’t see the dishes piled in the sink or the laundry laying on the bed. Consider where is most calming – allowing you to focus on your work. Also consider a place with natural lighting, which automatically wakes you up a bit more than a dark or dim space. – Whitney - Separate your work-space from your home space.
Create a ‘work-space’ where your computer, phone, to-do lists, etc. are separate from your actual living space. If you can, separate those spaces by a door (or some sort of division).
I also start each day by making my bed. It helps me feel less cluttered and is a great incentive to be up and get things done. – Shannon - Get organized and set the mood.
Working from home is a huge challenge for me. Didn’t watch “Grey’s Anatomy” last night? Oh, I could probably work AND find out the latest drama at the hospital. I know now that I just have to go straight to my office and get it – and myself – ready for the day. I clean my desk off, get it organized, and make my list for the day. Then, light a candle, turn on some music, and get to work. Highly recommend, however, setting an alarm to get up and walk around. Or go sit in another room, in total quiet and take a few deep breaths. It’s amazing how that can get you back to the desk.
And if your whole family is home with you right now, as mine is, you may be forced to find the beauty in every day. Just shut the door, take a deep breath, and know that this, too, shall pass. – Becky - Caffeine and space are your friends.
Both my husband and I both work from home, so we start each day with a big cup of coffee (I like to add cinnamon to mine for a little extra flavor) and then give each other lots of space. Bonus tip – cook lunch for each other when you can! (My husband is much better at that than me.) – Katie - Stick to your routine.
My best recommendation – have a routine. As tempting as it might be, do not roll out of bed and start working. Give yourself time to wake up – take a shower/rinse off, make coffee, eat a normal breakfast, watch the top of the news (if that’s your thing) and make your bed. I mean you don’t have to make your bed but, for me, it’s the cherry of my morning routine and makes me feel good every time I pass it. 😊 Turns out, mom was right. – Caroline - Know when to unplug.
It can be hard for me to stick to normal business hours when I’m at home. I often find myself checking my email as soon as I wake up and obsessively cleaning my inbox well after dinnertime (anybody else REALLY bothered by the little red notification on your phone?).
As we’ve all heard, work-life balance is everything, and that doesn’t change just because you’re working from home. Knowing when to unplug will make you more effective during your “plugged in” hours, so do yourself a favor and turn off your email notifications at 5 p.m.
– Victoria