So, You've Decided To Work From Home...
CONGRATS!!! ??????We welcome you to the remote place cult with open arms!
Transitioning from working a “regular” job to working from home (or wherever strikes your fancy), is a big step. HUGE.
You’ve thought about all of the awesome perks of the gig, and perhaps the challenges, right? You’ve bought all of the appropriate attire, read the books, er, blogs and that location independent Pinterest board is looking just fab ?. Now, it’s the night before your first big day. NERVE CITY, amiright?!? You lay in the night wondering, “Will my new co-workers like me? Will my new office have a window? Should I pack my lunch or venture out and try some new eateries?”
“Hold up, wait a minute,” you’re wondering, I’m sure…”I thought you said I was going to be WORKING FROM HOME?”
No, I am not insane, I did say that. And yes, all of those questions are indeed pertinent to someone who works from home! Let me break it down for you:
Yes, you will need to establish a home base for your office; somewhere you can always go back to for focus time and decluttering. Will that place be by a window? Perhaps you’ve allocated a work nook in your bedroom? Even if you’ve quit your “regular” job to travel and work on the go, there will indeed be times when you come back to your home base to decompress. You NEED to have that space.
Yes, work attire at home is necessary. Sure, you dreamed of those days when you would lounge around all day in your sweats, but, take it from me…if you make it the norm, your work productivity will definitely take a nose dive. Treat those lavish sweats’ days as your work from, work from home days, on say, Fridays. The rest of the week, wash your face and get dressed! But guess what? You won’t be getting any letters from HR from breaking dress code, no mo! (#guilty). So, break out the blue eye shadow AND low cut V-neck ?.
Yes, you’ve traded in the commute for a 5 step walk to your computer. Count those dollars you’re saving, and reinvest it in your lunch! Allocate 2-3 days a week when you LEAVE your house to go take a break and enjoy a meal prepared by someone else. Sure, working from a coffee shop is great, but stepping away and taking a REAL lunch break like you would back in your old office days (gosh, feels so long ago already, right…), will give you back that panache on lack lustre days.
And yes, you will have co workers! No matter your industry, the exchange of money for goods and services requires 2 or more people. So, in some capacity or another, you WILL have co workers. Some nice, some not so nice. Sure, you don’t have to physically see them daily, but virtually, you bet! I like to refer to them as my imaginary friends. But hey, maybe I am (slightly) insane ?.