So far, I’ve written several of these WFH Tips, and I realize it’s kind of a lot at once. I’ve been working from home for 12 years, so it’s taken a long time for me to learn some of these lessons and get here. In some ways, becoming good at working from home is a journey of self-awareness and self-discovery. You have to know yourself well enough to know what will work well for you, and that may take some experimentation. Developing a new habit or skill takes time and effort.

Have you ever woken up in the morning and thought, “Nope. Not today.?” I think we’ve all been there. When you wake up in the morning, and you just can’t bear the idea of getting up and going to work, you probably have strategies you use to get yourself going. You may need to develop some new strategies for this issue, now that you are working from home and your bed/couch/TV are so easily accessible from your work zone. We all have different things that help us shift our moods

Before you started working from home, you likely had an after-work routine. Maybe you went to the gym, stopped by the grocery store, or picked up dinner. Some people find that when they work from home, there’s no defined “end of the day.” This can lead to working longer hours without realizing it, and your work-life balance will begin to suffer. Just like you are creating a new work routine because you are working from home, you should develop a new after-work routine. It’s a

Have you ever noticed that kids thrive when they have a consistent daily routine? Routines give kids a sense of security because they know what to expect - what they need to do every morning, what time bedtime is, etc. Having a predictable routine allows kids to feel safe and helps them manage their day. Well, surprise! Even though we are adults, we often benefit from having daily routines as well. When you are working from home, it’s tempting to break all the rules and do th

Now that you have created your work zone, you will benefit from making it more comfortable. Over the years, I’ve made many changes and upgrades to my work zone, including ergonomic accessories, lighting, and furniture. These additions have made my work zone more comfortable and inviting. While you may not work from home forever, it may be required for some time, and making your work zone comfortable will make working from home that much better. It’s worth it to make a few cha

When I was in grad school at Stanford, I was a member of the Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA). Stanford’s campus is enormous, and grad students are notorious for spending loads of time sequestered in a lab somewhere on campus. Many of us were new grad student life and were feeling disconnected and lonely. One member of BGSA started “Lunch @ the CoHo” every Wednesday at noon which meant that members of BGSA knew that they would always see friendly faces and be able to

My cat was thrilled when I first started working from home. As far as she was concerned, it was like it was a weekend everyday! While I loved being able to spend more time with her during the day, I realized very quickly that it’s difficult to get anything done with a cat sitting in front of your computer screen. Although my cat still likes to interrupt my work day, I’ve been able to make it work by including her in my work zone. (Remember we talked about work zones in a prev

Do you have a hard time getting going in the morning when you are working from home? I certainly do. I’ve heard stories that I was a morning person as a child, but that seems to be a thing of the past. If you don’t have a meeting first thing in the morning, it can be hard to get out of bed and settle into work in your work zone. This might be an indication that you going through office detox, so keep an eye out for that. Otherwise, some of the tricks I’ve developed over the y

When I first started working from home, I rebelled like a teenager. After working in an office for so many years, I was eager to make my own schedule and do things my way. I found myself sleeping in, procrastinating on tasks, and scrambling to finish work in the evenings or on weekends. I had a new-found freedom, and I was determined to take advantage of it. Thinking back, I recognize this phase in my work-from-home journey as “office detox.” I wanted to do everything I could

After working from home, you may notice that you miss the proverbial “water cooler breaks.” That’s when Jen from Marketing stops by your desk to tell you about a show she saw last night or you overhear a funny conversation in the adjacent cube and you chime in over the wall. Little interruptions like this break up your day and help the time pass more quickly. If you are working from home by yourself (no kids), you may notice a lack of interruptions and monotony in the day. On