Your Florence Expert

The lines between work life and home life can become blurred when you are doing all of your tasks under the same roof. Building boundaries can make a big difference in your work from home satisfaction. A boundary is a hard rule that you do not cross and helps you stay on task.

Some boundaries you may consider are not working from your bed, not taking naps, stopping work sharply at 5:30 pm, or mandatory outside time at lunch.

When work no longer involves a commute, it can be more enticing to become absorbed in work and stretch into long overtime hours. Set yourself up for work and personal success by only working between a defined set of hours. Your hours may be 7 am to 3 pm, or 9 am to 5 pm – whatever makes the most sense for you, your coworkers and your clients. Stick to these hours at all times unless a critical project needs your attention.

Creating a dedicated workspace was echoed by numerous remote workers who contributed to this article. You will quickly learn that selecting a separate and dedicated workspace is crucial to getting work done efficiently. This separation also allows for other spaces in your house to maintain their own purpose. If you have children at home, creating a dedicated workspace also shows family members that you are working and should not be disturbed.

Leave the bedroom for sleeping and relaxing. Leave the living room for creative or personal pursuits. Either select a kitchen counter, kitchen table, or if you are lucky, a private office for all work that you do at home.

Often, when there is no longer somewhere to be, we begin to neglect our morning routines. Don’t slide into this habit as you work from home. Morning routines are a proven way to start the day successfully and sets you up to be more productive throughout the day.

It may sound silly to get dressed in work attire when you are sitting at your home, but it can make a big difference in your mentality and ability to complete work efficiently. Allow your home office to be a simulation of going into your typical workspace.

Choose a time that best fits your schedule and exercise. Working from a remote location increases the amount of time you may spend without movement and this can significantly affect brain health and happiness. Mitigate these effects by prioritizing exercise.

When you are in a home office, you no longer run into coworking friends in the hallways or meet for a chat in the breakroom. Connect with coworkers on video conferencing during meetings or freetime. Seeing each other’s faces not only increases the efficiency of communication but allows for more engagement. If you do not have a video conferencing platform, there are some suggested tools here to consider.

If you are working remotely, it is a bonus to have less time commuting to and from work. Use this time to explore your interests outside of work interests. A hobby keeps your personal life more exciting and allows for refreshing attention when returning to work tasks.

Some ideas for hobbies that the Florence team loves participating in are cycling, running outdoors, painting, baking, and flying planes.

Now that you have a dedicated workspace, find another specific location in your house to relax when you need to take work breaks throughout the day. Some suggestions of where you may select a quiet space are either a back porch, guest bedroom, living room, or backyard.