How to Create a Work-from-Home Schedule that Works

When you’re working at home, it’s hard to forget the fact that you are at home. There’s the fridge within easy reach, and who cares if you work in your pajamas? You can even have the TV on in the background. All of these seem pretty convenient–but are they really?

Because you’re at home, you’re way too comfortable, and sometimes, things don’t go well when you need to get work done. Working in your pajamas may result in you just lounging and half of your tasks unfinished. Now that it’s safer to stay at home, how do you deal? Here’s how you can create a remote work schedule that actually works:

Set your desk where natural light is

This helps you keep a good mood while at work, but more importantly, it sets a natural stopping cue so that you won’t work late into the night. If you wake up early, you will have the beautiful morning light streaming through and conditioning you to start working. Then, when things get too busy that you don’t get a chance to look at your clock to check the time, the sun setting outside will remind you that though you’re working from home, you should not let work take over even at night. At the end of the day, having a schedule that balances work and life is still important even when they’re both happening in the same place.

Talk to your family about boundaries

Sometimes, the hardest part of working from home is the fact that you’re sharing space with your family. Granted, you love them unconditionally, but when they barge in right in the middle of a Zoom meeting, it’s not the best feeling and it certainly will not seem professional on your end. Have a casual discussion with them about what they should do when you’re at work, or give them cues that tell them you’re busy. For instance, if you’re working in your own room and you have the door closed, that means you’re busy. On the contrary, keep it open if you’re not busy, so that you will not feel too isolated from the rest of the family.

Create a morning and evening routine

It’s easy to just keep your laptop with you in bed and get some work done there, but this is a recipe for being unproductive. Your mind is not conditioned for work, and you may find it hard to concentrate. It’s better to go through your morning routine as if you’re going to the office: start with a meal or your favorite morning drink, then change into some decent clothes. Apply some of that BB cream for sale that you bought on your latest online shopping haul. Try not to work from the bed as well. In the evening, do the opposite to mark the end of your shift. Take a shower, prepare your dinner, and do your nightly skincare routine.

If you have the option to work from home, it’s definitely safer than going to the office given everything that has happened in 2020. However, if you are choosing this remote setup, make sure you’re still able to get your job done in a productive manner.