Working From Home: 6 Highly Effective Tips

Just like most of you, I have a day job that pays my bills and allows me to survive in this world. Surprise, it’s not blogging (not yet at least). I wake up in the mornings and go to work as a product manager for a software company. The hours are pretty long and require a lot of thought and decision making.

Luckily for me, I get a lot of perks with my job. One of them happens to be being able to work from home (or in a remote location). I’m seeing more and more places that are allowing remote employees, especially with all the tools that are available to us now (I’ll dive more into this later).

However, working from home, although it sounds simple enough, isn’t always easy. I work from home multiple times a week as well as work on my blog on the weekends. Needless to say, I’ve had to figure out how to effectively work outside an office and I wanted to share a few tips with you.

1. Create Your Workspace

IMO, a critical element to working from home is finding and creating your workspace. This can be anything from your own office to a small corner of your kitchen (that’s my current setup). The reason this is important is that it creates a separation from work and home.

2. Get the Right Supplies

Ok, let’s talk supplies. In order to do your job, you need to make sure that you have what you need. This includes things such as the right computer and monitor setup. For example, can you work off of a laptop or do you need a full monitor? Do you have the proper keyboard? Do you need office supplies? If you’re employed, your employer will often purchase these items for you. If you’re self-employed, it’s up to you to get what you need. Either way, make a list of the items needed and start checking them off one by one.

3. Utilize Available Tools

There’s also a bunch of tools that you can use that make your life so much easier. And I’m not talking physical tools, these are applications that will help with your daily, monthly, and quarterly tasks. Here are a list of tools that I find helpful.

1. Remote Meeting Tools: If you have to meet with people, it’s usually better if that person can see your face. The remote meeting technology is way better than it used to be, so use them. Plus, your meeting will be more personable. Recommended: Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Join.me
2. Communication Tools: If you work with one or more people, there are several chat tools that can help you communicate with your team easier and will actually save you time. Recommended: Slack
3. Calendar/Organizational/Note Tools: I don’t know about you, but I live by my schedule and my to-do list. Each of these tools will help you plan and manage your day. Recommended: Google Calendar, Evernote, and Asana

4. Time Management

When working from home, you can get so distracted or the opposite, completely get lost in a project. And let’s face it, you have a lot of shit to get done. So it’s essential to manage your time wisely. This is where those calendar and organizational tools (mentioned above) come into play. I also use a time cube, that helps me set time limits on tasks. Bonus, it’s only $6.

5. Take Breaks

You must take breaks! Trust me, taking breaks will prevent burnout, keep the creative thinking flowing, and keep the quality of your work high. It’s good for your work and your health. I will add breaks into my schedule so that I’ve allotted time for them.

6. Stay Social

Working from home (or remotely) can be lonely. Yes, even if you have regular meetings. In fact, this is the main reason why it’s so hard for people to work from home. As humans, we need/crave social interaction. So be sure to plan those lunch/coffee dates. Otherwise you will go crazy, or drive your significant other or your cat crazy.

Closing Statement

Whew, this was a long post. I’ve been wanting to write this post for a while now, especially since working from home is a regular thing for me lately. I would love to hear from you! Let me know if you have any questions, thoughts, or you want to share your experience.

Photos by Anthea Marette Photography

This article is not sponsored by any of the brands mentioned above. However, some of the links may contain affiliate links which may generate revenue for the site when clicked, or when a purchase occurs. The information in this post is my thoughts and preferences.