Surviving Working from Home: 25 Tips That Helped Me Thrive Remotely

Working from home doesn’t come naturally to any of us. We grow up believing that we will go off to work – that our home life and work life are separate, and that we need to balance the two. Then when we choose or are forced to work from home, we are in for a rude awakening.

Many of us are in that place right now. Are you?

Nearly a decade ago, I started working remotely for a small nonprofit organization (Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization). They were based out of Chicago at the time and I was in Peoria, Illinois, about two hours away. I was able to convince the executive director to let me work remotely from an innovation center (Peoria Next Innovation Center), which was about a five-minute drive from my apartment. I eventually transitioned to working from an apartment full-time.

Now as a small business owner – writing creative content for small businesses and entrepreneurs – I have a home office that I spend the majority of my time in. Even after a decade, it doesn’t feel natural. However, I’ve made it my home away from….scratch that. I’ve made it my work home and home home. 

With the current pandemic forcing many people out of their traditional offices, I’ve been trying to help others transition simply and easy to working from home. Recently, I published a one-hour course on surviving working from home. For that course, I offered a list of 25 tips that I would give to anyone working from home for the first time.

1. Make yourself comfortable. Invest in making your work space and your workdays nice and cozy. This will help boost your productivity and keep you happy working from home.
2. Eliminate harmful distractions.
3. Create a designated work space.
4. Schedule religiously. I utilize Google Calendar to schedule and track my workdays.
5. Know yourself. Cater your work space and work schedule to fit you and your personality. If you’re a night owl, schedule accordingly and don’t force yourself to work mornings unless you’re required to.
6. Develop a routine for before, during, and after work.
7. Start your workday the night before. Prepare food, set out your clothes, get good sleep, etc.
8. Get to your work space early. Give yourself time to settle in before each shift.
9. Take regular breaks whether your employer requires them or not. You should be stretching your legs at least once an hour and giving your eyes a break from your computer screen once every half hour or so.
10. Communicate with those you share your home with and set boundaries.
11. Have a separate screen or computer for any programs/entertainment that will help you be more productive (music, email, etc.). Just make sure this doesn’t end up being a harmful distraction.
12. Keep light snacks nearby (healthy snacks, sealed).
13. Have a meal plan to make the most of your lunches.
14. If you get stir crazy, change up your workspace. You might not be able to take your work into the coffee shop, but you can add pictures to your walls, move your chair to the other side of your desk, and possibly work from a different area in your house if possible.
15. Stay connected with fellow employees. These connections are important to maintain and can help you avoid feeling isolated.
16. Keep detailed work logs. If your employer is not tracking your activities, document what you’ve worked on and for how long. I use simple excel spreadsheets to show to clients.
17. Purchase or request any and all items you need for your desk. Don’t sit in a kitchen chair or use a desktop with Windows 95 on it. Employers should provide you with necessary items, but if you work for yourself, make a list and do your best to purchase what you want and need.
18. Install virus protection software.
19. Backup your work files.
20. If possible, set up a VPN. How to setup and use a VPN from PC Mag.
21. Smile and keep yourself happy. Emotions leak into your work and into your conversations, whether via phone, video, or email. Keeping yourself happy will positively impact your performance and spread to others who you are working with or serving.
22. Set goals for yourself and post them up in your workspace.
23. Accept that you will need time to adjust. You didn’t feel comfortable your first day in the office, so don’t expect to be a pro when working from home during your first day, week, or month. It takes time to get used to.
24. Stay OFF of social media during work hours. It’s tempting, but stay off of social media unless it’s a required part of your job. Not only can employers likely see what and when you’re posting, posts can also take you away from required tasks and impact your mood. Don’t do it!
25. Plan to invest time in learning after hours. For at least the first week or two, I would recommend spending time playing around with the software and technology you’re now being forced to use. Being proficient in this software will make you a valuable asset to your company and help boost your confidence. You could also take the time you used to spend on commuting to learn something new. I use Skillshare to take short courses on different topics.

Just know that support is out there for you during this difficult time. Check out my Work from Home Survival Guide course on Skillshare here! If you would like to take the course but do not have a Skillshare account, please send me a message. I want as many people to benefit from it as possible, and I will give away 10 free links to this course for people connected to me on LinkedIn.

Do you have any tips to add from your experience? Please comment below!