working from home
put your pants on
…and 7.5 other rules for working from home
Working from home requires a discipline that I struggle with Monday through Sunday, and while I hardly have a mastery of the art, there are a few things that I’ve learned are essential to my productivity.
1. GET OUT OF BED.
I don’t just mean wake up. Sure, you probably could be a little less lax with the snooze button, but that’s a different battle. I mean that the propensity for rolling over and grabbing the ol’ laptop with one and a half eyes open is a habit that you need to shake. If you have a desk, use it.
2. GET DRESSED. EVERY DAY.
Actually get dressed, don’t just reach for the nearest clean-ish shirt and jeans. Explore the deeper depths of your closet and find some semblance of professionalism in there. Even casual Fridays in an office require that you put on real pants.
3. TALK TO HUMANS.
I’m sure your dog/cat/what-have-you is great! It really is! Your pet is a terrible person, though, and an even worse conversationalist. When a one-sided chat with the dog is the longest talk you’ve had during daylight hours, it’s time to mosey on over to a more people-y place. Try a coffee shop.
4. NO NAPS
Are you sick? No? No naps. Just because your client seems to be MIA and the dog is asleep on the couch doesn’t mean you can take a little snoozle, too. Turn on some music, dance around a bit and make yourself a cup of caffeine. Your dog is 77 years old and has no thumbs; you’re a professional adult human with approximately 10-20 perfectly functional digits (give or take?). There’s work you could be doing. Find it.
5. NO CABLE NEWS.
“I’ll just have it on in the background,” you say…
In a strictly apolitical sense, cable news is the Millennial’s soap opera, and I am 100% here for that drama. Unfortunately, it’s immensely distracting, and you have far better things to do than listen to the opinions of four people who are paid to disagree about the best way to interpret Trump’s tweets. Sorry, Anderson Cooper. I still love you.
6. GET SOME HOUSEPLANTS.
Studies show that plants can lower workplace stress and increase productivity. They also aren’t super chatty and never put leftover fish in the microwave. They’re basically the perfect coworker.
6.5. WATER THE HOUSEPLANTS.
You live. And work. In the house. WHY ARE YOUR HOUSEPLANTS DYING?! Water them. You should be getting up and moving around every 30 minutes or so anyway (sitting is the new smoking, you know?), so take a watering can with you on one of those laps around the house.
7. SEE THE SUN EVERY DAY
Is there a blizzard? Acid rain monsoon? No? Get outside. Working from home means it’s possible to go days without going outside. Days. This makes you susceptible to a vitamin D deficiency, which, if serious enough, can lead to depression and/or chronic pain. Take a walk, y’all. Wear sunscreen.
8. Don’t feel bad if you don’t always follow the rules.
In spite of the popular opinion of many office-goers (“You’re so lucky! It must be so nice! I would live in my pajamas!”), you know that working from home can be hard. Without the day to day camaraderie, collaboration, and encouragement of officemates, days can be long, lonely, and bash-your-brains-in boring. The best rules to follow are the ones that work for your particular brand of productivity, so cut yourself some slack every once in a while, and don’t feel bad if you rock sweatpants from time to time. Mental health days apply to you, too.