Tips for Separating the Professional from the Personal when Working at Home.
Working at home in your own home office, can be one of the most creatively liberating and great experiences of your life. You will have more time for your family, friends, garden, and that homemade pasta recipe you always wanted to try. Not everyone has the great luxury of being able to work at home, but if you do, how can you learn to keep yourself focused long enough to get your work done before you do the things you love? Especially with internet based careers, like YouTube vloggers or writers, who in theory, never have to leave home. Check out these quick tips for separating the professional and the personal at your home.
Keep your professional space separate from your personal space.
You can't set up your home office in your bedroom or your living room. Mixing leisurely areas and work areas is never a good idea. If you are going to work at home, you need to have a room or part of a room that is set up specifically for work and where you only spend time when you are working. Having this sanctioned work area will allow you to create that "going to work" feeling without actually going to work.
Set up a work time.
The number one trick to being a productive person who works from their home office is to set up a specific time to work. For instance, if you are working on a book, set a time schedule for your day so that you don't waste it away on Netflix or YouTube. You should work for this period every single day in order to set up a natural rhythm to your work flow that will help you get in the zone a lot quicker.
Treat it like an office.
You wouldn't leave an office at a regular job a mess with old coffee cups and clothes strewn about, so don't treat your home office that way.Although it seem like no big deal, clutter in the work area can cause the mind to wander which leads to distractions and less productivity. Keeping your office tidy and well-organized will help you stay on task and get through your work faster.
Set goals:
If you are a writer, for instance, decide how many pages you are going to write for that day and stick to it. Even if the last few pages are not as good, sticking to your goal will make you feel accomplished and will help you release your ideas onto the page in a way that can be corrected later. This tip works great for all fields because you don't want to under work at home, but you also don't want to overwork yourself until you are burned out.
