How to Plan for a Day of Working at Home
Working from home is becoming more common. Technology has aided us in getting everything done that we need to from the comfort of our bed and our pajamas. Did you know that 30 million people work from a home office at least once a week? That's totally awesome. Staying focused while working from home can be a little tricky at first, but once you figure out your system you're good to go.
I am thankful to have a flexible job that lets me work from home, but also provides me with an office when I need one. I'm totally more motivated when I'm sitting at my office surrounded by loads of other people working, but I know how comforting it can be to just simply work from home. I have tricks up my sleeve, but I'm constantly looking for support and tips.
I'm so thrilled to announce that this post is a collaboration with the beautiful Samantha from The Samantha Show! Samantha is a stay at home mom with two loving little kiddos by her side. She is a blogger, virtual assistant, writer, and editor-and-chief of a new and upcoming magazine! Whew, I'm getting tired just listing all of that. I've worked with Samantha in creating a list of amazing tips that can help anyone who is working from home stay focused, motivated, and on top of things!
Lists, lists, and more lists.
Samantha: I think I have more notebooks than most stores have on their shelves. You can never have too many notebooks and I’m always using them so I need a lot of them, right? But I make a list for everything. Groceries we need, things I need done for work, appointments that need made. Nothing feels better than checking things off as you accomplish them.
Danyell: I'm all about lists, too. But if you know anything about me, you know that I love everything to be online and with me no matter where I go. I've used loads of different task management and list building services on the world wide web to keep all of my lists together. And I agree with Samantha--nothing is better than putting a check next to an item on your list, whether on paper or virtually.
Danyell: I'm all about lists, too. But if you know anything about me, you know that I love everything to be online and with me no matter where I go. I've used loads of different task management and list building services on the world wide web to keep all of my lists together. And I agree with Samantha--nothing is better than putting a check next to an item on your list, whether on paper or virtually.
You need a planner.
Samantha: Write everything down. I try and write down everything; when I’m going to take pictures, when I’m going to write, when I have a deadline, when I need to send money, when I need to drive who where. By breaking it down by day, week, and month as best I can to my ability, it eliminates any OMG I FORGOT THAT. Of course I’m human and that happens, but it’s important to plan ahead whenever you can. I’m always playing catch up and I find I’m much more productive when I’m ahead and have some breathing room. If you need to write your gym time down, do it. If you need to write “put down the phone and stop working” at 8 pm or whatever, do it. Try and hold yourself accountable and you’ll find that you can work much more productively.
Danyell: For awhile I was super obsessed with the Filofax. I loved how I could put whatever pages in it that I wanted to, and that I could make it my own. I couldn't leave the house without it, and I wrote absolutely everything down. That's what I love so much about planners--it's yours and you can use it how you want to. Whenever someone tells me they are feeling unorganized my first suggestion is to get a daily planner. Live it, love it, and use it!
Danyell: For awhile I was super obsessed with the Filofax. I loved how I could put whatever pages in it that I wanted to, and that I could make it my own. I couldn't leave the house without it, and I wrote absolutely everything down. That's what I love so much about planners--it's yours and you can use it how you want to. Whenever someone tells me they are feeling unorganized my first suggestion is to get a daily planner. Live it, love it, and use it!
Be flexible.
Samantha: The kids have been boycotting naps recently (lucky me), so the whole “work while they’re sleeping thing” doesn’t really apply to me. They’ve never been on any sort of schedule anyways with the way we’ve moved around and had Z in and out due to traveling. So we have quiet time after lunch. They can watch a movie, read books, play cars, whatever. But it’s not time to play “chase” or be outside. It’s time to relax and settle down. Sometimes I can get Lady to take a nap, and other times I can’t. So I try and work while sitting on the couch with them or in my office/their playroom while they play together. Same thing goes for the morning. I have my coffee and get work done while they eat breakfast and watch TV. Then when they’re done, I’m done by default and we do something together.
Danyell: While I don't necessarily have the same disturbances (aka kids, haha) as Samantha does, it's still a good idea to keep in mind that things come up. When you're working from home there are all kinds of distractions and issues that can arise all of a sudden--the trick to staying focused and on top of things is recognizing when to focus on the house and when to pay attention to your work. I have dogs that don't cause near as much of a ruckus as little hooligans running around does, yet I still need to know when to leave them be and when to get down on the floor and throw a ball for them. Being flexible is a great skill to learn when you're working from home. You want to be able to work, stop working, and then come right back into it!
Danyell: While I don't necessarily have the same disturbances (aka kids, haha) as Samantha does, it's still a good idea to keep in mind that things come up. When you're working from home there are all kinds of distractions and issues that can arise all of a sudden--the trick to staying focused and on top of things is recognizing when to focus on the house and when to pay attention to your work. I have dogs that don't cause near as much of a ruckus as little hooligans running around does, yet I still need to know when to leave them be and when to get down on the floor and throw a ball for them. Being flexible is a great skill to learn when you're working from home. You want to be able to work, stop working, and then come right back into it!
Don't take on too much.
Samantha: I don’t work a typical 9-5, so I pretty much work all day. From morning until night, I’m working in someway and somehow. I try to get as much done as physically possible when they’re sleeping (which is rare) or when my Mother’s Helper is here. Weekends are for family so I don’t get much done on weekends, except for social media or responding to emails that come to my phone. Even then though, I try to limit the amount of time I’m doing that.
Danyell: This is something I definitely struggle with when I am working from home. Because I'm at home I begin to think that I can get loads done. That's not always the case! To make sure that I don't bite on to more than I can chew I try to plan out my day every morning...down to the hour! I want to make sure that I set real expectations for myself and prioritize the things that I need to do. If you're looking for some motivation to wake up and get started check out these tips.
Working from home is an amazing blessing; however, there are still some ups and downs that you need to get used to before you can truly tackle the remote working atmosphere. Planning properly and staying on top of yourself and your tasks is key if you want to make sure you focus and are productive when working from home. It doesn't matter whether you stay in your pajamas all day--as long as you have a system that keeps you going and keeps you organized!
Comment below and let me know what you do prioritize your time when working from home!
P.S. Don't forget to head over to The Samantha Show and give her some love! Let her know that I sent you :)
Danyell: This is something I definitely struggle with when I am working from home. Because I'm at home I begin to think that I can get loads done. That's not always the case! To make sure that I don't bite on to more than I can chew I try to plan out my day every morning...down to the hour! I want to make sure that I set real expectations for myself and prioritize the things that I need to do. If you're looking for some motivation to wake up and get started check out these tips.
Working from home is an amazing blessing; however, there are still some ups and downs that you need to get used to before you can truly tackle the remote working atmosphere. Planning properly and staying on top of yourself and your tasks is key if you want to make sure you focus and are productive when working from home. It doesn't matter whether you stay in your pajamas all day--as long as you have a system that keeps you going and keeps you organized!
Comment below and let me know what you do prioritize your time when working from home!
P.S. Don't forget to head over to The Samantha Show and give her some love! Let her know that I sent you :)
