When you quit your job, you were so looking forward to it: having all day to work on your project, build it, market it, grow it. But now that you are sitting in your home office, it’s much harder than you thought. Here’s how you can make the most of your working from home experience.
Here at Curbn we know how challenging it can be to work from home. Actually, distraction itself is probably one of the biggest challenges, and it comes in many forms. It could be your kids running around and making noise. Or quite the opposite: the absence of coworkers that keep you sharp and prevent you from procrastinating. And then there is plenty to worry about, being self-employed. All of that provides plenty of distraction.
Working from home is not the only problem
Also, now that we’re not allowed to go outdoors and interact with the people we love, it can get lonely.
It’s not just your work environment that has changed and turned into a challenge. Your routines are different as well, now that you don’t have to go to the office anymore. One of the most encountered issues, in our experience, is that founders and indie makers tend to stay at their desk all day long. And you might think that is the productive thing to do but actually, it’s not.
You might have heard about the effects of sedimentary lifestyle on your health. Well, it has a profound negative impact on your productivity and mental health as well. You might find your mood slowly going to blue and that you are ruminating more than usual.
So, if you’re finding yourself procrastinating, don’t be alarmed. You’re not the only one. But unless you want to give up on creating that startup you’ve always dreamed of, we suggest you adapt and act.
Working from home tips
Here are several tips that can help you improve your experience while working from home:
- If you are not living alone, make it clear to your family members or roommates when you are available and when not. Closing a door, putting up a red flag (literally) or some other sign will do the trick as long as you communicate them properly and act on them.
- Make a todo-list everyday and start your day with that.
- Go out for a lunch walk, so you can refresh your mind and nurture your body. It’s one of the best ways to recharge, so get out of the office at least once a day.
- Take short breaks in the hours before and after lunch. And well, in case you are working night, after dinner as well. Set alarms or install an app that will hold you to it. There are plenty of break apps and timers.
- You can even be productive during those breaks. Clear out the dishwasher, put out the trash, fold a few t-shirts or prune that bush in your backyard. Just a warning: if you do something like this, set a timer to pull you back in to work mode!
And, last but not least, don’t forget to interact with other human beings. After all, now that you are no longer surrounded by colleagues, things can get lonely. So meet up with other founders, online or IRL. And schedule having drinks with your friends, go to the movies, have a picnic in the park or play a game of Monopoly with your family. That too will help you to speed up your game and grow your startup.
Ebook Escaping the Founder Trap
New edition available now.
Learn about the no. 1 reason of startup failure and save yourself from exhaustion.