I have been working from home for nearly 2 years. I own my own Social Media company and I blog full time. So basically I work two full time jobs. I have a lot of friends who have come to me asking me how I work at home and keep up a schedule, do not get distracted etc. So I wanted to share my tips and things I have learned from working at home.
1. Set a Loose Schedule for Most Days: All of my days are different. Some days I have a dr’s appt mid day. Some days I have a blog consultation in the morning. Some days I am grabbing lunch with a friend. So I have a pretty loose schedule of where my time is allocated and how. This way I have a sort of skeleton to work from. Even if something comes up or I have a client meeting, lunch etc I know what needs to be done. I also schedule in time to work out usually mid day. I also as much as I can try to stop working when Andrew gets home a little after 5. That does not mean I do not respond to clients or emails later at night. But I do try to put my laptop away if possible. This is not only important for my sanity but for our relationship.
2. It Can be Isolating: I’m not going to lie some days I do not leave the house. Days like that can get isolating. If I am really busy getting posts scheduled for clients, emails out, blog posts written and what not I do not even notice it’s almost 5 PM and Andrew will be home soon. Try to set up a few coffee dates with people to network with or similar like minded people who also own businesses. I do these in the morning. It gets me out and motivated. I also sometimes pick one morning and get a ton of errands done. It breaks up the minutia a bit. Try not to dwell on the days you feel like you are alone. Put on something in the background you like. For instance a great pandora station or a show you like streaming on Netflix. I am not easily distracted by this so it is perfect for me.
3. Start Your Day Doing Something Just for You: Owning your own business can mean not necessarily having normal 8-5 working hours. I get up when Andrew does around 7 and I usually spend that time: making breakfast/coffee and checking personal emails as well as my personal Social Media account and sharing my daily blog posts on Social Media. Some days I will read for 30 or so minutes in the morning. This was a great tip I learned at Bloggy Boot Camp that I really really try to integrate into my life.
4. Have a Designated Office Area: I know not everyone is lucky enough to have a second bedroom that can be used entirely as an office. Andrew even has a small study as his office. We are lucky and I remember that everyday. I have a great office filled with things that make me happy, remind me of how far I have come and inspire me. I try to go into that office from 8-5. I eat lunch in there and try to keep it organized and clean and a place that I feel comfortable working in. I do spend some days working in our living room from our couch on our laptop as my health hasn’t been 100% lately. But for the most part I work in my office. I love that space and decorated it and made it exactly what it needed to be for me to feel good working in it. If you can’t have an entire room try to find some space that is yours alone for working. It helps.
A glimpse into mine
5. Know when you need a break: I work for myself so if I need a break I take a break. I give myself one Friday off or a Friday half day a month. I see a movie, or go for a walk(weather permitting), get things done I want to get done for myself. This will keep you sane as it has me for the past 2 years.
Some other things I Have learned from Working at Home:
Working from home is hard
Working for yourself is hard
Do not give up on what you want
Coffee helps!
What are your work tips from home or in an office?
I work from home, too, (besides blogging) and I hear you about days where I don’t leave the house. I try to take breaks throughout the day and I usually give myself a break from the blog and all social media on weekends. It really helps me recharge! And, I try to exercise daily! It really helps, too.
I think having a designated work area is a MUST, for sure. These are great tips! Also, knowing when to take a break is necessary. It’s easy to work-work-work all the time when you’re home and not know when work-time is over.
I work from home too (not for myself though). I can agree with much of these points. I really need to see about taking half day or full day off a month. I am not sure if it will work, but I think it would help greatly. Thanks for the tips!
Since I’m home blogging all day, I also have to break thangs up. I fit in playing outside with the dog and walking lunges thru the house for fun (well, the pup is fun).
This is all so true. The not normal working hours is nothing new to me, having been a reporter but it’s continues to shock me that I can work 24 hours a day and still feel like I haven’t done enough. Great post.
Very cool! I think I would have some trouble working at home because I’m so distractable – I’m home this week because I’m on my honeymoon, and I’m having to force myself to even get up and take a shower!
Having a designated office area definitely helps me — and it even helps that it’s on its own floor, away from the bedroom and living room! I try to have certain days (like M-W) that I do more work, and schedule lunch plans & appointments Thurs and Fri! That way I have a chance early in the week to get ahead and I won’t feel like I’m getting behind if I end up hanging out with a friend longer!
These are great tips, I work from home quite a bit myself, and it is isolating! It’s important to wake up and do normal things as if you were going to leave, brush your teeth, shower, put on a little make up and something other than pajamas, and, like you said, run errands or get coffee. Something to break it up a little and help you not be hermity!!
Great tips girl! I always pictured myself working outside the home once our kids were in school, but truth be told I’m looking forward to pursuing my passions from home. You totally inspire me!
I love all of these tips! I think having a designated area is really important for me because if I blog in bed then I can be up till really late at night! Thanks for sharing this!
I definitely think that having an office space is a huge productivity booster. Before I had my office, I was just working from the couch and ended up spending a lot of that time just watching TV. When I go in my office, I know it’s work time!
It’s amazing how isolating it can be! I work from home just sometimes, and it never ceases to amaze me how lonely I get- particularly when there’s a few days of back-to-back from home. And kudos girl- two years- you should officially look in the mirror and be like “I made it! I did it! I rock!”
That is awesome that you work from home! If you don’t mind could you let me know how you got into that? How did you start your own Social Media company? That is something that I am extremely interested in doing! I would love to hear your story and if you have any suggestions/recommendations for me 🙂 Just shoot me over an email whenever you have time!
Such great ideas! I love this! I just finished working… well in the mornings. I think for the most part in the mornings I like to get ready right away, it makes me feel like i actually got something done!
I work from home now. I totally agree with Rachel that focusing while I’m in the same space with my other chores to be done. Having an organized, assigned office space definitely helps and since reorganizing it I enjoy my time in that space so much more.
Amen on the office area! I feel like I”m always working on something! Which would be totally fine if I didnt have other people living in my house that depend on me for their survival haha. So I’m starting to make myself sit down and crunch for concentrated times, at my desk, througout the day. That way things don’t get outta hand.
What great advice! My husband works from home most days and I am a stay at home mom and without his office space I know we would lose our minds trying to work around each other! It really does help to have your own space!
Great post, Neely! I started working from home full-time this past April and man, I LOVE it but it does tend to feel isolating at times. I’m lucky because my boyfriend has had a job where he can come home as soon as he’s done working, so the background noise has been nice. In October he goes back to working full-time and I think I’m going to have to schedule some of those coffee dates/morning errand runs you talked about. It can feel so lonely at times by yourself for 8-10 hours! Also love that you add in workout time. 🙂 something I should do!
I WISH I would have started my business before having kids. But of course I was running around working my butt off. Money came easier but I didn’t have time for ANYTHING!
Now I run two at home businesses, a blog and numerous social media platforms. And I have three kids, I have a million things running through my head at all times, but I l-o-v-e the time at home with my dudes. 🙂
I agree that it’s hard. It just takes extra discipline to separate out your work life and your home life.. but it can be done. 🙂 of course jacob is much better than me at it.
These are all such great things to consider when working from home. The designated office space is one I struggle with the most. I just don’t have the space in my house and bring my computer to wherever I can make a quick “desk” area.
I love these tips!! I would love to work from home, but I like my job and some of the benefits with working for a company, hopefully one day I might want and/or be able to work from home.
These are some wonderful work-at-home tips. I’m excited to get on some kind of a schedule since my daughter will be starting AM preschool on Wednesday.
I admire you for working from home!! I don’t know how well I would do since I don’t like being alone much. These are great tips and they almost make me think I could handle it 🙂
When I started working from home, my husband was working AND going to school. So he’d leave at 5 a.m. and get home around 11 p.m. We lived in the middle of nowhere, so by the time he got home every night, I was like, “OhmigodtellmeaboutyourdaylikerightnowbecauseIhaventhadadultinteractionallday.”
This is great! Since I blog about working at home I am kind of partial to this post. I am definitely sharing it on all my social media because you make great points and tell it like it is here. Love it.
I have such a hard time working from home! I started doing it this summer and am continuing for some days in the fall and winter months. I set up a desk for myself, but then we had a roommate move in, so I end up on the couch. Going out (and or blogging instead of working) is what gets me the most! thank you for these tips!!
LOVE this post! I just started blogging full-time and I’m struggling with a schedule. I have two little ones so they constantly distract me from things – lol. And I agree – COFFEE HELPS!
I work from home too, and I completely agree with everything. Sometimes, the hardest point for me is stopping at the end of the day. I need to remind myself that I can pick it up again tomorrow.
I agree with Alli, exercise definitely rejuvenates me and helps me get going on my work. I definitely have to schedule in breaks and time where I have to stop thinking about my work. I’ve got kids at home and I am lucky enough to create my own hours. I have to be realistic with myself in both my personal schedule and my work schedule. I’ll try to do it all and then burn myself out in a few days. Breaks are key! Also, I’ve gotta get dressed every morning like I’m leaving the house, shoes and everything.
Right now my challenge is working around my babies. I can only work when they sleep. I cram as much as I can into that time. I’m working on an office space. My current one is about to become my daughter’s bedroom.
I can only imagine how lonely it can get. For a time growing up my Momma worked from home and traveled a lot. She was always itching to be around more people
Hi Neely,
I also work from home and I can relate to your blog post.
I would also recommend dressing up everyday as if you were working outside. Even putting perfume and make-up (and of course, a nice French manicure!!, well, any kind of manicure would be accepted 😉 ). So that when you sit down at your desk, you really feel that you are ready to rock your business day! I really think that not working on your pajamas makes you feel more confident and professional.
The thing I really need to improve in, is having a tidy desk, like yours in the pic! If I show you mine as it is actually, you would be surprised…
I work from home, too, (besides blogging) and I hear you about days where I don’t leave the house. I try to take breaks throughout the day and I usually give myself a break from the blog and all social media on weekends. It really helps me recharge! And, I try to exercise daily! It really helps, too.
I think having a designated work area is a MUST, for sure. These are great tips! Also, knowing when to take a break is necessary. It’s easy to work-work-work all the time when you’re home and not know when work-time is over.
I work from home too (not for myself though). I can agree with much of these points. I really need to see about taking half day or full day off a month. I am not sure if it will work, but I think it would help greatly. Thanks for the tips!
Since I’m home blogging all day, I also have to break thangs up. I fit in playing outside with the dog and walking lunges thru the house for fun (well, the pup is fun).
This is all so true. The not normal working hours is nothing new to me, having been a reporter but it’s continues to shock me that I can work 24 hours a day and still feel like I haven’t done enough. Great post.
Very cool! I think I would have some trouble working at home because I’m so distractable – I’m home this week because I’m on my honeymoon, and I’m having to force myself to even get up and take a shower!
Having a designated office area definitely helps me — and it even helps that it’s on its own floor, away from the bedroom and living room! I try to have certain days (like M-W) that I do more work, and schedule lunch plans & appointments Thurs and Fri! That way I have a chance early in the week to get ahead and I won’t feel like I’m getting behind if I end up hanging out with a friend longer!
This is my ultimate goal but I realize it wouldn’t always be easy. I can totally see how it would be isolating, but these are great tips!
These are great tips, I work from home quite a bit myself, and it is isolating! It’s important to wake up and do normal things as if you were going to leave, brush your teeth, shower, put on a little make up and something other than pajamas, and, like you said, run errands or get coffee. Something to break it up a little and help you not be hermity!!
This is wonderful! I recently became a stay at home wife and I am constantly trying to keep myself motivated. I find the key is to stay organized! 🙂
http://neatly-packaged.com/
Great tips girl! I always pictured myself working outside the home once our kids were in school, but truth be told I’m looking forward to pursuing my passions from home. You totally inspire me!
I love all of these tips! I think having a designated area is really important for me because if I blog in bed then I can be up till really late at night! Thanks for sharing this!
Love your tips. I work from home and it can be hard at times but it is well worth it.
I definitely think that having an office space is a huge productivity booster. Before I had my office, I was just working from the couch and ended up spending a lot of that time just watching TV. When I go in my office, I know it’s work time!
It’s amazing how isolating it can be! I work from home just sometimes, and it never ceases to amaze me how lonely I get- particularly when there’s a few days of back-to-back from home. And kudos girl- two years- you should officially look in the mirror and be like “I made it! I did it! I rock!”
That is awesome that you work from home! If you don’t mind could you let me know how you got into that? How did you start your own Social Media company? That is something that I am extremely interested in doing! I would love to hear your story and if you have any suggestions/recommendations for me 🙂 Just shoot me over an email whenever you have time!
I’m pretty jealous that you get to work from home! I think I would love it. These are definitely good tips too!
Thank you so much for these tips. I often get so caught up with blogging that I remember that I haven’t eaten, much less moved, in hours!
Such great ideas! I love this! I just finished working… well in the mornings. I think for the most part in the mornings I like to get ready right away, it makes me feel like i actually got something done!
I worked from home for years as a full time teacher online. What I found hardest was concentrating when there was laundry or dishes to be done!
I work from home now. I totally agree with Rachel that focusing while I’m in the same space with my other chores to be done. Having an organized, assigned office space definitely helps and since reorganizing it I enjoy my time in that space so much more.
These are great tips!
Amen on the office area! I feel like I”m always working on something! Which would be totally fine if I didnt have other people living in my house that depend on me for their survival haha. So I’m starting to make myself sit down and crunch for concentrated times, at my desk, througout the day. That way things don’t get outta hand.
What great advice! My husband works from home most days and I am a stay at home mom and without his office space I know we would lose our minds trying to work around each other! It really does help to have your own space!
Great post, Neely! I started working from home full-time this past April and man, I LOVE it but it does tend to feel isolating at times. I’m lucky because my boyfriend has had a job where he can come home as soon as he’s done working, so the background noise has been nice. In October he goes back to working full-time and I think I’m going to have to schedule some of those coffee dates/morning errand runs you talked about. It can feel so lonely at times by yourself for 8-10 hours! Also love that you add in workout time. 🙂 something I should do!
I WISH I would have started my business before having kids. But of course I was running around working my butt off. Money came easier but I didn’t have time for ANYTHING!
Now I run two at home businesses, a blog and numerous social media platforms. And I have three kids, I have a million things running through my head at all times, but I l-o-v-e the time at home with my dudes. 🙂
I agree that it’s hard. It just takes extra discipline to separate out your work life and your home life.. but it can be done. 🙂 of course jacob is much better than me at it.
Thank you SO much for this! I just started working at home, so this is a great list for me. I really needed some advice and direction.
These are all such great things to consider when working from home. The designated office space is one I struggle with the most. I just don’t have the space in my house and bring my computer to wherever I can make a quick “desk” area.
I love these tips!! I would love to work from home, but I like my job and some of the benefits with working for a company, hopefully one day I might want and/or be able to work from home.
I also work at home, and I find it helpful to minimize online distractions. Also, I agree with the tip to take weekends off!
These are some wonderful work-at-home tips. I’m excited to get on some kind of a schedule since my daughter will be starting AM preschool on Wednesday.
I admire you for working from home!! I don’t know how well I would do since I don’t like being alone much. These are great tips and they almost make me think I could handle it 🙂
My office is SUCH A mess right now, it really is affecting my productivity! Thanks for the tips girly.
Great ideas.
Thrifting Diva
http://www.thriftingdiva.com
When I started working from home, my husband was working AND going to school. So he’d leave at 5 a.m. and get home around 11 p.m. We lived in the middle of nowhere, so by the time he got home every night, I was like, “OhmigodtellmeaboutyourdaylikerightnowbecauseIhaventhadadultinteractionallday.”
It was overwhelming.
Socialization is important.
This is great! Since I blog about working at home I am kind of partial to this post. I am definitely sharing it on all my social media because you make great points and tell it like it is here. Love it.
I will be doing some work from home once I go back to the office and setting up a dedicated work space is a must. Thanks for the tips!
I have such a hard time working from home! I started doing it this summer and am continuing for some days in the fall and winter months. I set up a desk for myself, but then we had a roommate move in, so I end up on the couch. Going out (and or blogging instead of working) is what gets me the most! thank you for these tips!!
Working from home is not for the faint of heart. 🙂 I love it, though! We homeschool, too, so it’s definitely a juggling act! Very good tips. 🙂
Sometimes I have the option from working from home. I get A LOT done, but then I feel alone. So I head back to work and at least be near people!
These are all such great tips. We have a designated office area and it definitely helps.
LOVE this post! I just started blogging full-time and I’m struggling with a schedule. I have two little ones so they constantly distract me from things – lol. And I agree – COFFEE HELPS!
I work from home too, and I completely agree with everything. Sometimes, the hardest point for me is stopping at the end of the day. I need to remind myself that I can pick it up again tomorrow.
Great tips! I love your office space btw! 🙂
Great tips! Between the blog and the little one, I have a really hard time remembering to take “me” time. So important, even if it’s short.
Finding work at home jobs is hard! I have been looking for awhile.
These tips are great! I work from home but lucky for me I do have an office next door, but somedays being “home” is hard! Thanks for this post!
I agree with Alli, exercise definitely rejuvenates me and helps me get going on my work. I definitely have to schedule in breaks and time where I have to stop thinking about my work. I’ve got kids at home and I am lucky enough to create my own hours. I have to be realistic with myself in both my personal schedule and my work schedule. I’ll try to do it all and then burn myself out in a few days. Breaks are key! Also, I’ve gotta get dressed every morning like I’m leaving the house, shoes and everything.
Right now my challenge is working around my babies. I can only work when they sleep. I cram as much as I can into that time. I’m working on an office space. My current one is about to become my daughter’s bedroom.
These are great tips!
I can only imagine how lonely it can get. For a time growing up my Momma worked from home and traveled a lot. She was always itching to be around more people
I am currently working on setting up a corner of my bedroom as an office space for myself. I am on the hunt for the perfect white corner desk.
Hi Neely,
I also work from home and I can relate to your blog post.
I would also recommend dressing up everyday as if you were working outside. Even putting perfume and make-up (and of course, a nice French manicure!!, well, any kind of manicure would be accepted 😉 ). So that when you sit down at your desk, you really feel that you are ready to rock your business day! I really think that not working on your pajamas makes you feel more confident and professional.
The thing I really need to improve in, is having a tidy desk, like yours in the pic! If I show you mine as it is actually, you would be surprised…
Love this post! Working from home is great, but like you said also very challenging! I’m learning my at-home work process each and every day!