Time Saving Tactics For Working From Home

USPA NEWS - Working from home sounds relaxing for some people, but many do not realize how hard it can be. Scheduling and structure are the key to keeping your focus.

My working years have been split between working traditional 9 to 5 jobs and also being self-employed. I have been a stained glass artist for over 35 years and in the beginning I had my own shop. I learned then that I enjoy to work by myself. It was a joke that I do not play well with others, thus working alone succeeded well for me. I was an artist, but also the one who waited on customers, a bookkeeper, maintenance man, and a wife and mother. Now I write and maintain a website, smallvillagelife.com. I also have an aging home and yard to take care of, hobbies I enjoy and myself and a dog to take care of.

Some think that being self-employed is easy, but it is not. Working a traditional job has structure. You get up at the same time every day, have lunch and finish at a set time. It may seem mundane, but that organization of a schedule is also needed when you work from home. If you have a family at home, then you certainly have more to juggle and their routines come into play. To others I may look retired. I live alone and do as I please. Little do they know that my days are quite busy. I had to develop a schedule to get all the things done that I need and want to do each day.

There are five main aspects to create a routine when you work from home:
1) Set working hours
2) Use a planner or keep notes
3) Create a workspace
4) Leave the house
5) Socialize

Set working hours - Decide on what your working hours will be. Even though you have nowhere to be, set your alarm for the same time Monday to Friday and maintain your morning routine just like you would if you had somewhere to be. We still need to bathe and dress. Then start and finish your working day at the same time every day. Because of the amount of things I need to do in a day, I compartmentalize my tasks. Mornings are for writing. Afternoons for house and yard work. Evenings for my hobbies. My simplistic lifestyle is a focus on my website, so most of what I do ends up in an article and that means taking pictures. I may take quite a few pictures during a day, but I do not stop what I am doing. I save the pictures until I am ready to write. Keep on your schedule. This keeps you focused. Also plan times for daily chores and meal preparations.

Use a planner or keep notes - Write to-do lists so you have a clear sense of what needs doing and get started on tasks immediately. Planning out your time is a giant stress reliever and gives your working days and week structure, even though you’re doing it from home. A calendar or day planner aids in things you want done by a certain day or projects that apply to specific days, holidays or seasons. I keep a spiral notebook where I jot down ideas I want to write about or research. I check them off as I get them done.

Create a workspace or spaces – Create a space in your home that can be your own personal workspace. Even if this is your living room table or a desk in your bedroom. Set aside that space solely  for work and nothing else. Have all the stationery you need on hand - pens, pencils, notebooks. My writing is done from my recliner, that is where I am comfortable. My computer and tablet are within reach, along with my notebook and writing instruments. I also have my crafting workspace. My workroom is where I have my stained glass supplies and other crafting goodies. If you can have a dedicated space like that, it saves time when you do not have to set up and tear down projects when using a living area. It makes life a little easier when you can keep your home neat and organized too when working from home.

Leave the house - It’s unhealthy to stay at home all day and not get some fresh air. So get up every couple of hours to take a break, get a beverage or take your lunch outside. If you have children or fur babies, they too are part of your work from home schedule. Get out and play or go for a walk. Four times a day I am outside with my dog and his potty times are part of my daily routine. I use this time to stretch out my arthritis stiffness. I imagine it is quite a show for my neighbors. If you like to workout, keep that part of your schedule.

Socialize - Working from home can exclude you from the real world. We still need time with friends and family. Schedule gatherings for meeting up for drinks, lunch or dinner. Even a monthly girls or guys night out helps to keep us in touch with the people and things we enjoy. Social media is not a replacement for spending actual one-on-one moments with others.

I hope these tips help you in creating your own routine. Adjust them to your own specific needs. Working from home does not need to be stressful or overwhelming. We just need to be organized and make it as simple as possible.

Thank you for reading my article. These are merely my thoughts and insights based on the facts. I use only verified sources. No fake news here. I write about a variety of subjects, mainly things I want to research and know more about. You can check out my website – Small Village Life at smallvillagelife.com, where I share useful articles and news.

Wendy writes for the United States Press Agency and is a former columnist with the Fulton County Expositor, Wauseon, Ohio.