I’ve been working from home for nearly four years as an Amazon seller and blogger. It definitely has its advantages and disadvantages (as I described in an earlier blog post). Here are some tips that have helped me stay productive.
1.) Get out of the house and work. If you have something to do that only requires a laptop, I would recommend going to a coffee shop or a library. If there is a university library near you, I would choose that one. The energy and vibe of the college students makes it a really productive place to work. Plus, most of these libraries have great work stations with outlets for your laptop.
You will also have the benefit of being around people all day as well. Even if you don’t directly talk to any of them, it does help when everybody is on the same page and working around you.
2) Separate work from home. If you can’t leave the house, have a room (or a space) dedicated to work. That way when you enter it, you’ll consciously know that it’s time to work.
3) Dress up like you were going to a 9-5 job. This will make you feel employed and will give you that psychological edge in getting this done. The alternative is waking up in your pajamas and going directly to the computer before taking a shower. I did this for months in a row and it is extremely counter productive.
4) Read The 4 Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferris. It is required reading. Enough said.
5) Get a life (or a hobby). The one thing that I’ve noticed about working from home is that it helps to have a social life. I thought that if I locked myself in my apartment for two weeks straight – I would get so much done. The result is just the opposite: I get nothing done.
I’ve noticed that when I go out with friends or family, I come back the next day refreshed and excited about my work. It’s like hitting the reset button. If you don’t have friends or family nearby, I would recommend joining a club or a sports team. I joined a Euchre (a card game with roots in the Midwest) club on meetup.com, and we meet every two weeks in a bar to play cards. I’ve also joined a softball team as well.
6) Work the same hours every day. Remember you are in control so you can make your own hours. Let’s say you want to work 10-7 every day with a two hour lunch break. That sounds great – just stick with it. When 7 pm comes around and you are having a creative break though. Stop. You will have something to look forward to the next day.
I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve worked until midnight and woke up the next day feeling like crap. The entire next day was shot. Plus, this gives you the necessary structure to separate your life from work. You don’t want to become your work. You’ll burn out.
7) Take your weekends back. Don’t work or go on the internet during the weekend. Here’s what I do. I have a storage unit a couple miles from my home. I put my laptop in there from Friday night until Monday morning. Viola! I have a real weekend. All of a sudden it’s like 1994 again – no internet.
I cook, clean, watch movies, read, visit family and friends, meet new people, and I travel. My attention span is back and my mind is a thousand miles away from that dreaded Gmail Inbox.
Another option is to use programs that block access to the internet for certain periods of time. I personally use Freedom and StayFocusd.
8) Be grateful that you’re working from home, and not in some cubicle with a job you hate.
9) Give yourself breaks. Don’t be locked in the room all the time. For every hour you work, have a 15-30 minute break. Give your mind time to digest what it’s just done, then come back. You’ll improve the quality of what you produce a hundredfold.
10) Keep three lists of three. The first list has three things you will do today. The second is three things you’d like to get done, but aren’t essential. The third is three things that need to be done at some point. This should keep you productive all day long without running out of things to do.
11) Keep your workspace clean. Almost everyone enjoys a clean workspace. It is even more essential when you work from home.
12) Keep the house tidy before you start working. It is really difficult for me to focus on work when there is an unmade bed and dirty dishes in the sink. These things can linger over you when you are trying to get things done. Sometimes, I’ll go to the next room to find a pen, and the next thing I know – I’m doing laundry.
As someone who has worked from home for years I have to agree with everything you said. It took me a while to learn some of these ideas. I will say, for the record, that I do work in my PJs sometimes when I don’t need to go out. I always have to be dressed before my son comes home from school (and my husband from work – the jealousy that would ensue!), but I do like to jump in to work first thing and then take a break later to shower, dress, eat, etc. I look forward to your blog.
Cheers,
Cynthia
Nathan,
I agree with your entire post, including the required “Four Hour Work Week” bt Tim Ferris. That is the book that got me started.
I really enjoy your posts, emails, and your products. You are one of the “good” guys along with Skip, Jim, and Steve L.
Keep em coming!
I agree with all but one point. The internet on weekend thing. Even if I am not using the computer for work, I do need it for other things that are definitely non-work related.
Excellent article and so true! I have worked at home in some capacity for about 12 years. I have learned a lot but old habits creep up all the time. I am going to print this article and hang it on my desk! Just what I needed to change my attitude! Thanks!!!
Great article. As a newbie to working exclusively at home, I esp appreciate your comments under #5 and #6. As a workaholic, I tend to forget about those points, trying to grind it all out on a daily basis. I need to constantly remind myself that I need to press that “reset” button, esp when I feel burnt out, which is quiet frequently.
Great tips! I find getting dressed for work & working outside of the house useful. A written to-do list is priceless as well. Still working on “having a weekend”.
Nathan,
Great post!
I have not gotten big enough yet to make a living, and I sometimes feel lost and useless.
I just came from an interview from my old line of work that I was laid off from nine months ago. I was dreading the interview. I thought my disinterest would show, but I got offered the job on the spot.
It’s good job but I don’t want to give up my freedom. I just stopped at a Starbucks after the interview and read my mail and your post.
Reading this is just what I needed! Thanks!
Scott
Thanks for your comments everybody.
For the record, these are tips that I try to do. The dressing up for work is fairly new. Also, the internet-less weekend only happens about once a month.