Working from home requires a quiet and dedicated environment, minimal distractions and a supportive family. Combined with family live, the chaos can be challenging but with a bit of planning plenty can still be achieved.
Here are a few tips on how to survive working from home.

Get up early to write
Many authors hold down full-time jobs and raise families and yet still find time to write novels. So how do they do it? Many admit to getting up early before the rest of the household to smash out a few pages before the day starts. I’ve done it many times myself and the rewards are great as you feel accomplished before anyone else has even opened an eyelid.

Have kids, will write!
Save the electronic babysitter for when you’re working. Put on a long movie, allow screen time and break out the craft supplies during your agreed work times. The reward (alright, let’s just admit it’s a bribe) can be an afternoon tea, a visit to the park and play dates, speaking of which reciprocated play dates can also come in handy. By setting boundaries you establish the ground rules. If all else fails hire a babysitter, invest in childcare, hire a housekeeper or beg a compassionate friend or family member to help out.
Getting Things Done
You know the school holidays are coming. Or the never ending list of commitments just seems to be keep getting longer. There’s really no excuse for not being prepared for them. Yet the thought of juggling so many commitments with work deadlines is so overwhelming that it tends to sneak up on us. But there is help at hand in Australian and New Zealand with an organisational product called Getting Things Done (GTD), an internationally renowned system that is ideal for setting a work schedule. What’s so great about GTD is that it takes a holistic approach to productivity and covers all aspects of life. You’ll have your family whipped into shape in no time too.

Look after yourself
When you’re busy its even more important to stay healthy. Enjoy the sunshine, but not too much during our harsh summers, try to exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, pamper yourself and eat a balanced diet. Also dressing for work puts you in a professional mindset and sends a clear signal that you’re in work mode. Then you’ll be quite justified to indulge with your family during the festivities.
Embrace the flexibility
You chose the flexibility of working remotely over a traditional work environment. I know I did. So embrace it. With a bit of planning you can carve out enough time to get your work done and relish in family time and still have plenty of time for fun with friends and looking after your health.

Comments