Tons of people around the world are now working from home due to the coronavirus. Since I have been doing just that since 1998, I thought I would offer a few tips on how you can get some work done when you’re at home.

Have a dedicated work space

First, I suggest you dedicate a space in your home for your office. Preferably not your bedroom as that is your sanctuary where you rest. If you just sit on your couch with your laptop, you won’t get as much done. Why? Too tempting to turn on the TV, play with the dog, and the like. If you can find a room with a door you can close even better! I have mine furnished like a regular office with pictures on the wall, good lighting, and a standing desk that I can put down if I need to sit. (Varidesk is a good one.) Music is always on as I concentrate better with it playing. Drove my parents crazy when I was a kid doing my homework!

Dress for work

I know it’s tempting to stay in your jammies, but you won’t get much done. Why? Because you won’t FEEL like you are at work. I always dress for work. Not in a suit mind you, but I always have on pants and a nice shirt of some sort. Getting dressed for work puts me in “work mode” and sets me up for the day. The added advantage is that you are also ready for those unexpected video calls!

Your Daily Routine

Even though I don’t have a long commute (I might run into dog traffic as I go upstairs to my office), I work regular hours. Normally, I will get to my office between 9 and 10, go to lunch at noon, and leave around 5 or 6. Of course there are exceptions to this routine as things come up that you can’t avoid. I have been known to work until 9 or 10 pm on occasion. Other times I leave early for a meeting or appointment. It’s all good. Just make sure that you get back to your schedule the next day. Why? I’ve found that if I skip more than one day it’s really hard to go back to my regular schedule. I also try and go to bed at a reasonable time during my work week so I am rested.

Since you are not stuck in traffic or on a train or bus, you’ll have some extra hours! So what do you do with that extra time you have in the morning and evening? I take that time to exercise, meditate, walk with my dog, read, and be with my family. I’m a morning person so I’m up early 7 days a week. It’s just how my body is wired. For those of you who are night owls, your schedule might look different. Maybe your day starts at 12 and you like to work until 8 or 9 at night? All good. I suggest you work when you are the most productive.

Lastly, make sure you take breaks! I’ll often work for several hours without a break. Not a good thing. You don’t have to work 100% of the time. You are allowed to take breaks! I try and take at least two 10 to 20-minute breaks during the day.

Distractions

Yes, you will get distracted. Especially if you are not used to working from home. There is always going to be that laundry pile that needs to be done, dishes in the sink, and that show you are dying to binge. Very tempting right?

To combat this, I give myself about an hour a day to do the chores. Usually at lunch when I need a break that is longer than 30 minutes. I’m almost always back at my desk by 1:30 at the latest.
You don’t have to schedule your day like mine, make it your own! My only advice is to try and stick to it so that you can get some work done.

Trust yourself

Ever had a “gut feeling” about something? A hunch? That’s intuition.

Intuition is your body’s operating system. Plus it works whether you believe in it or not. It’s that gut-feeling you get. That inner voice you hear. It’s a feeling, or an inner voice, that is offering you a course of action, a direction to go. It’s like a little bird is sitting on your shoulder offering directions and telling you where to turn and how to avoid those potholes.

Trust it. The little bird on my shoulder has saved my life more than once.

Until next time!
Katharine

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About the Author: Katharine Giovanni is an international speaker/trainer, advisor, intuitive, and three-time award-winning author of four books including her award-winning inspirational book “Rainbows and Banana Peels.” Katharine and her husband have been running a successful concierge consulting business for over 20 years. She is considered to be one of the founders of the independent Concierge Industry. A proud breast cancer survivor, Katharine was raised in New York City, earned a B.A. from Lake Forest College, and currently lives in North Carolina. Her new book “The Little Bird on your Shoulder” is available now. Find more information at www.KatharineGiovanni.com