“We like to give people the freedom to work where they want, safe in the knowledge that they have the drive and expertise to perform excellently, whether they’re at their desk or in their kitchen. Yours truly has never worked out of an office, and never will.”

sir richard branson, virgin

I haven’t really had any co-workers in over six years now.   Well, at least none that I see on a daily basis.   I’m a freelance personal assistant, one of many occupations these days that allows the complete and total freedom to work from home, or really, anywhere with internet access. With Covid-19 upon us, the majority of people are having no choice but to  work from the comforts of their own home.

When I’ve told people I work from home, I generally get the same response, “I could never, ever do that.” They don’t mean that they don’t like MY job (I hope not, at least), rather they’re referring to the problems of motivation and self-discipline that come with working from home.

• An office gives you a regimented schedule.
• Co-workers give you social interaction. 
• A physically present boss gives you accountability. 

Over the years, I’ve become something of an expert in the field of home productivity. Not to say I never partake in the temptation to use my freedom to slack off, but I’ve managed to force myself to be accountable not only to my various clients but more importantly, myself.

Here are just some simple tips that work for me;  and I always meet my deadlines so I must be doing something right.

Start your day the night before.

Write a list:   I write a list the night before of everything I want to (or need to) accomplish the next day.   Apart from the fact my memory is sh** these days; it helps me get through everything.  Call me strange, but I get satisfaction crossing each item off, it actually makes me feel good.  

Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get everything done, we are not super human; but aim for at least for everything that can be finalised that day to be finalised – obviously some things are project based and on-going.  My lists have sections depending on what it is.  

The trick to getting through a list is doing ‘one thing at a time’.   Just start from the top and don’t stop until you cross that particular item off – then go to the next.  It’s honestly that simple.   

Clean the kitchen:   Wake up with a clean house, so you don’t feel like you have to do it in the morning.

Wake Up Early

First:   Make your bed (makes a big difference to the day – promise)

Second:  Empty the dishwasher it’s an annoying job, but it takes less than 2 minutes – feels like 15 minutes, but it’s quick.  

Initially this was the hardest part of working from home. With no office to go to, and no boss to tap their watch and look irritated if I was late, there was little motivation to get up at a reasonable hour and start work.   I mean you can answer the phone and sound alert – even if you are still lying in bed!  I’ve done that… 

I was lucky as I have a friend that loves to work out – so I started working out with her and I would wake up at 5.30 am every day.   By 9 am I had caught up with my friend, had a coffee, worked out, walked the dog and showered ready to start the day.  I’m used to it all now but that definitely helped me get into my groove to work from home; and looking back it absolutely changed my life waking up so early, I love it.

Don’t worry – I definitely don’t hear the alarm and think “excellent, it’s time to jump out of bed and get started”.  It’s never easy; especially when, as I said, I’m only accountable to myself.  

Have a dedicated work space 

I’ve found I feel more like a person with a more traditional job, as opposed to lopping out of bed and flipping open a laptop to begin the day.  And if you work from home full time, you can write off at least part of your rent / mortgage as a business expense, as it’s technically office space. 

Make a Schedule / Routine

Different to the list I mentioned.  Making a schedule includes setting your day up.   Most people will not be able to function properly working from home if they don’t have at least some sort of regimented schedule guiding them. For example, set a time you get up every day; and get up.  Have a time you need to be sitting at your desk and opening the laptop (not just when you feel like, it may never happen).    Set a time for breaks to get up and walk the block, eat lunch.  

I don’t physically write down a schedule anymore, as it’s all locked in my head at this point. I promise you do get into a routine once you’ve been doing it a while.   But when you’re first starting out, it may be helpful to do so.   Also set your alarm for the time of day you need to STOP working.  It’s easy to get into the habit of working until really late.

Have a break / get outside 

When I have calls to take, I love grabbing my dog and taking a walk around the block whilst chatting; it helps me concentrate on that call, get out of the office (house) and have a stretch etc.

In addition to our bodies needing actual sunlight to live, going outside to do anything, is required for our sanity.  

Mix it Up !!  You don’t have to ALWAYS be sitting at home.

You don’t’ have to work from your house all the time.  I have to mix it up or I will go crazy.  I love working in a café, watching people and just having people around.
I actually get way more done sometimes.   I generally use this time to do something I really don’t want to do.   Why?   Because at home I can make a million excuses on why I can’t start.  Need to empty the dishwasher, sweep the floor, bla bla…anything rather than start that crap job.    So; in a coffee shop, I have a dedicated time (can’t sit there all day) and I just get on with it and get it done.   With technology the way it is, you can either pick a café with WIFI, hotspot or even better work offline and you don’t get interrupted by emails for that certain amount of time, and that job is complete.  Onto the next….

So, is working from home for everyone? Absolutely not.  I have adapted to it and I definitely have my mojo for it.   I understand why it would be hard and I still remember my first day sitting at my desk at 9 am and feeling really strange like “okay what now?”.   And honestly, it’s hard for me too sometimes.   While I love my job, I miss having co-workers to learn from and just chat to.   

That said, I also love the complete and utter freedom to make my own schedule, work at my own pace, and seldom have anyone looking over my shoulder, because I love being micro-managed (said no-one ever!).

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