Work-from-Home is now part of America
While the circumstances surrounding your new work-from-home life may be less than glamorous, your personal dream might have been fulfilled.
Many of my friends that I’ve spent time with FaceTiming & Skyping are loving their new life of work-from-home.
Naturally, there are challenges and adjustments are we all dig into our new normal, there are also gratifying moments.
Sometimes we jump into new things too fast and then sink into new ways that might be bad mistakes.
Guess what? You are about to face 5 work-from-home mistakes to avoid.
You are home more, and your family is in the house too.
Maybe you live alone and see fewer people?
Working from home brings up new challenges, yet many of them can be changed and alas, no more challenge!
Knowing you are not the only person going through this large transition should be helpful.
Honestly, working from home is what you make of it. Find a sunny window and fill that water bottle!
It all just got real and you are in this for the long haul.
You love your job and you get to work remotely, YEAH!
There are new challenges that arise and there are 5 work-from-home mistakes to avoid.
Working From Home
The biggest mistake in my mind for working from home is that it did not happen sooner for many people out there.
In fact, our society is so mobile that more jobs than not can be done remotely.
Of course, this does not apply to beauty salons, nail salons, medical practices, etc, it does apply to more than less.
Let’s face facts, working from home has its own pitfalls, just as working in the office does.
However, when you are in the office, there are those fabulous co-workers that really grate on you and suddenly, their only way in is via email, calls or texts.
Talk about new borders, yahoo!
Some of you are very satisfied with your new digs for work, while others are like please make it stop!
Personally, the day I left corporate and began working from home, my life changed forever.
Most of it has been positive, but there have been crucial lessons along the way, that I want to draw upon to help you avoid these missteps.
Work-From-Home Mistakes To Avoid
The issue is you were tossed into working from home, it happened fast.
You did not get to plan for the change and change is something we all need to KNOW about before it is tossed on us, not after.
Will you be able to avoid the work-from-home mistakes others make?
I work for myself, while many of you work for companies, and have bosses, so there are topics I will cover that never have applied to me.
#No 1 Work-from-home mistake to avoid
No Real Designated Office Space
Your living space is filled with family.
Everyone needs space.
Where are you going to work?
Since you are one of the lucky ones that still have a job, you rely on your income to live.
Work from home. Great. However, where’s your designated workspace?
This means you need to make this work so you can keep your job and your income!
Make certain to create a designated office space for yourself.
Here you should be able to function as you would at work.
A laptop, or iPad, phone, and all the basics.
Whether its a corner in a room or the entire dining room, just make sure it becomes designated YOU space.
#2 Work-From-Home Mistakes to Avoid
Boundaries ~ Set them!
How can you work if your kids keep running in or your partner decides to turn on the display of affection?
Nope. While it is all well-meant it can’t happen.
Maybe you can take a lunch break which will let everyone share a short time together?
Perhaps a 5 minute morning break in between meetings and workload.
Rather than gathering in the kitchen at work, you can gather in your kitchen!
Make certain whoever is in the house respects your work hours and that noise wherever your designated workspace is, is kept to a minimum.
#3 Eating, Gorging, Binging – Um. No. Nope. & No!
I’ve seen hashtags flying around like #Coronavirus15 referencing the fabulous Freshman Fifteen.
You may be tempted to eat more and eat whatever you can get your hands on, but that’s not gonna work.
Continue your meal planning, healthy eating habits, etc.
In fact, use this time to consume MORE water, since you are in your own home with access to a private bathroom!
Drink less caffeine, not more.
Try to use this transition as a time to get on a healthier track or stay on a great path you might already be on!
Junk food will tempt you, as will baked goods.
Don’t let it. Grab a piece of fruit, cheese or a handful of almonds, anything but the junk.
You got this!
#4 Starting Later, Ending Earlier – Work-from-home mistake to avoid
For those lucky enough to still be employed and working remotely, don’t abuse it.
This is not college where you can choose to start later without penalty and end earlier.
Work is work and it needs to be done.
Your job is just a cog in the machine and every misstep you take hurts another cog.
Working remotely ensures a paycheck and a way of life you are used to.
Don’t take it for granted.
No starting late or ending early.
Work your scheduled times and do what needs to be done.
Then walk away.
Which of course brings me to the other end of the scale.
It’s not a 24/7 Thing
Eager to do more, so you can keep working at home?
Pleading your case by working 24/7 is not gonna do that.
Not everyone is ‘on’ like you 24/7/
You might be annoying or disturbing someone that works the normal hours and is not always over-working.
Working to catch up is one thing.
However, working from home means, working from home and then STOPPING at the end of your daily shift.
Home and work need to be separated, its a different kind of boundary, but you were not hired to be ‘ON’ all the time.
Stop. Have a life.
#5 Work-From-Home Mistakes to Avoid~ Don’t Loneliness Settles In
First, working from home is a stark change from working at the office.
No one from your workplace is there except who you let in virtually.
Therefore, most of us are social creatures by nature, and we need to chat.
Don’t build an island around yourself.
Facetime, Skype, Text, Email, Call, these things ALL Work.
Use them.
Isolation leads to depression, let’s to go there.
I can tell you from personal experience, it is a very lonely road.
When you might have time with a colleague on a normal basis, call.
Texting is not enough for most.
Connect via phone, listen and chat
Use Skype or Facetime.
There are a lot of options to stay social, even if we can’t all be together.
Don’t let your freedom to socialize become abandoned, keep on being who you are and socialize.
So Avoidance Is Not For The Complacent.
What will you do to avoid these mistakes?
Wake up earlier and enjoy the no commute thing?
Create a snack or storytime so you can spend a few more minutes with your family amidst the chaos?
Cleanout a corner and make it your own?
Whatever you decide, enjoy your new work-from-home experience as it can be very gratifying! ~ DANA XO