How to Adjust to Working from Home and Settle into a Routine

Not having to leave home to earn a living comes with a significant set of perks. There is no denying, however, the fact that working from home is different than going into an office.

And it does take some adjusting.

In this article, we will share some tips on how to work from a home-based office.

Use these ideas to productively structure your workday and set yourself up for success.

Do Your Best to Stick to a Schedule

Some work-from-home jobs come with a set schedule. If you’re given the flexibility to make your own hours, try to be as consistent as possible.

This way, you’ll know when your workday starts and ends. This will help you better separate your free time from your at-work time so it all doesn’t blur together.

As a result, you’re probably going to have a more productive workday, as you’ll be less likely to slack off or procrastinate. Having a clear schedule also will help you better manage your time so you don’t fall behind on your tasks.

Follow Your Normal Getting-ready Routine

When working from home, the commute is literally the length of your hallway. And it can be hard to enter a get-things-done mindset and start a productive day when you’ve just got out of bed.

So think about allowing yourself enough time before you actually sit down and start working to go through your usual routine.

Get ready—just as you would if you were going out to a standard office. Wake up when the alarm goes off, take a shower, eat a proper breakfast or drink your coffee, whatever makes you feel ready for work.

And, don’t work in your pajamas just because you can.

Properly Organize Your Work Space

How you organize your space can make working from home either a lot easier or a lot more difficult than it needs to be.

With that in mind, here are a few things to take note of:

• If you can, set up your office in a room with minimal distractions. This will help you focus on the tasks at hand—not a stack of dirty laundry, dishes in the sink or other chores you need to do around the house.
• Put your phone away so you won’t be tempted to check it every 10 minutes.
• Declutter. Don’t fill your desk with random things that don’t help you with your job. The more stuff piling up on your desk, the more likely you are to feel stressed out and distracted.
• Work at an actual desk, on a proper chair. Slouching on the couch with a laptop in your lap can be too relaxed, which might hinder productivity—even if you’re usually a responsible, motivated worker.