For the past few years now I've worked from home. And whenever someone asks what I do for a living, other than blogging, they always commend me for being able to work from home without getting distracted. Now, that's not to say that I don't tune in to This Morning most days or break up my day in a non traditional manner. But over the years I've gotten into a good rhythm. And how I've done it is exactly what I'm going to share with you today.
Even if you don't work from home, can your home help mindfulness? And what I mean by that is, can your home have a positive impact on your mood?
Whether this is by bringing nature inside by adding some plants or keeping everything clean and organised. You'll probably know when your space is starting to have a negative effect on you. For me, it's when my tiny bedroom floor gets swallowed up by bags, boxes and shopping orders that I've still to return. It just makes me feel so uneasy and not want to spend time in that specific room.
So here are some of my tips for creating a space that works for me. Whilst allowing me to keep on track work-wise, at least most days;
Create a space that works for you
Working from home means that you don't need to work to a traditional setup. As long as whoever you share a home with, or if you live on your own you won't need to worry about this, doesn't mind how you have it during the day; create an area that works for you.
I have the option of working from a small desk or a comfy spot on the sofa. And I normally choose the latter. What works for others might not work for you. So definitely try a few different things out to see how you like to operate.
Pick a spot with natural light
Thankfully I have the luxury of being able to work from my living room, which has a lot of natural light. My bedroom, on the other hand, gets pretty much zero natural light and it only took a day or so of having to relocate there to know that it just wasn't working for me. This becomes even more true in the Autumn/Winter months where light is at a minimum.
If your space is lacking natural light, I would recommend investing in a SAD (seasonal affective disorder) lamp. You really will notice a difference.
Utilise to-do lists
Where would I be without my trusty to-do lists? I seriously don't even want to think about that.
Each evening, instead of in the morning, I put together my to-do list for the upcoming week. This means breaking up my week and days into manageable workloads. Knowing when I need to have photographs taken by or even when I can next make a Post Office run, allows me to get shit done and on time. It also feels like you've really achieved something, even if you've been chained to your laptop all day, when you see what you've ticked off.
Take a proper lunch break
When you're working from home the temptation to eat at your desk or only take five minutes here or there is real.
If the weather is nice, I like to get outside for at least half an hour, both to get some fresh air and to give myself a proper break from a bevy of different screens. I also make a point of having something significant for lunch, instead of snacking all day. It also means that I don't need to have a huge dinner, which can often trigger IBS symptoms. That way of eating has really been working for me of late.
Your lunch break can also be a great time to meet a friend for coffee or pop out to the shops for a pick me up. If I'm ever near an M&S I simply can't resist grabbing a pack of their white chocolate chip cookies to keep me going. They are SO good!
Don't check your emails every five minutes
This may seem like an obvious thing to do but checking my emails all throughout the day was definitely having a negative impact on my workday. I would find myself getting distracted by an email or ending up completely off track. I now set out fifteen minutes at the start of the day, after lunch and at the end of the day to reading, replying to and sending emails and it has made such a big difference to how productive I am.
Do you work from home? Or would getting distracted put you off doing so? And what do you think of my tips?
Written in collaboration with Fishpools
0