How to Draw a Line Between Working Hours and Free Time
Working remotely means you don’t have to sit in an office 9-5. It means no bosses around to supervise every minute of your work. It means you can start late or finish early when you have some personal errands to run. Or when you simply feel like it.
But it also means you can easily fall into the trap of overworking yourself, or not working enough. This time, we won’t give you tips on how to focus or not get distracted. That’s old. However, our tips on how to draw a clear line between your working and your non-working time may be exactly what you need right now.
#1 Pretend you’re in the office.
Get up, get dressed, and get down to work. Don’t work in bed, sit at your desk. Act as if someone could see you and try to look professional even if you’re working from home. By pretending you’re in the office, you’ll help your brain switch to ’work mode’ faster and it’ll help you concentrate. If you’re wearing your pyjamas all day, your brain can’t take you seriously! Don’t forget to put on something more comfortable when you’re done working, just like you’d do if you’d come back from the office.
#2 Work on your discipline.
We’re just humans. It’s pretty easy to give in to hedonism and forget about work. Netflix will look more attractive than the pile of work you’re not ready to face, but be strong! There are many tricks that can help you stay on track – discipline’s a skill that needs practice. Being disciplined will help you in many aspects of life, not just when you’re working. If you’ve made a schedule for the week, stick to it and leave little joys for later. You won’t be able to relax if you keep thinking about the tasks you left unfinished.
#3 Take a break.
You’re not a robot! You will feel more relaxed when working at home, but it often means you will forget to take a break. It happens because you know you’re able to do it whenever you want, so you keep postponing it. Choose a time for each day when you’ll have breakfast, go for a short walk, or do something to freshen up. It’s important to catch your breath from time to time, even when you’re working out of the office.
#4 Leave your home.
If you let yourself get distracted, 8 working hours can last much more when you’re working at home. To prevent this from happening, go to a coffee shop or a co-working space and work from there for the rest of the day. The change of the environment will help you focus and be more productive. Also, when you leave your working spot, you’ll know you’re done for the day.
#5 Plan your free time.
Have you ever caught yourself working even after you’ve finished your official workday? Let me just call this one person, let me just send this one e-mail, let me prepare one more post for Instagram… No. You need to know exactly when you’re working and when you’re living your life. Planning your free time helps you draw this line. And we don’t mean having a schedule, but calling your friends or family and making arrangements in advance. Make sure you don’t look at your phone or computer every five minutes when you’re with them. If you want to be a good worker, you also need to recharge!
