Working from Home Doesn't Have to be so Hard!

by Work at home Mommy
(Pennsylvania, USA)

I have been working from home for the better part of eight years now and I have found some easy ways to help me manage my time and prevent the typical burnout of doing the same tasks repetitively.

First and foremost, I take time every day to make sure I have my things organized and where they need to be, BEFORE I get started on the days work. This helps me from getting distracted by wondering where the scissors are and having to search for them. I also always keep a back up everything (scissors, paper, staples, everything) in a separate drawer so in the worse case scenario that I can't find what I need, I have an extra.

Secondly, I find that if I do the same task for too long, I get bored, lose concentration and end up doing a completely unrelated task that gets me nowhere fast. Now, I break my day up into increments. First I do the things that absolutely can not wait until later (things on approaching deadline). Then I take a little break, maybe 15 minutes or so, to load the dishwasher, fold some clothes, or just listen to a few minutes of music. I go back to work on the next set of items, and I continue my day this way and I am actually much more productive. I also never ever forget to take a 30 minute lunch break to rejuvenate myself. I learned fast that eating at your desk is a no no for me.

Lastly, I make sure to start and end when I say I am going to. There are always days that I don't really want to start working yet, but if I don't I will only procrastinate and nothing would get done. It also sets the whole day up to be bad because I am dragging myself through it. Just as equal are the days where I feel just one more hour would really help, but that takes away from the real reason I work from home, to have more time with my family. The less time they get today, the more they need tomorrow and you're caught up in an endless cycle before you know it.

When I first started to work from home I had to set a timer to keep myself on task, but now that I have made a habit of things it comes much easier and the timer is no longer needed. The key really is to be consistent, just like you would at a brick and mortar job. Whatever your reason for working at home are, keep them in your focus and be determined to make it work and you will!