Self-management How to get your routine right when working from home

Self-management How to get your routine right when working from home Self-management How to get your routine right when working from home If you work from home, whether as a freelancer as just occasionally, you can probably vouch for many merits of working in this way. For example, you don’t have to spend time and money on commuting, while free tools make it easy to still keep in touch with others.However, working from home can also mean lacking a rigid 9-5 work structure, and that can risk your schedule disentangling. Here are some measures to help you avoid just that.Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!Compile a to-do list then stick to it!The second part of that sounds like one of those “much easier said than done” tasks, but you could be pleasantly surprised by how quickly you get your productivity into gear once you’ve got that to-do list on the desk in front of you. After all, you might not need to assign specific tasks to specific times.Adopt the attitude that the only important thing is to get th ose responsibilities done by the end of the day, regardless of when or how often you might get interrupted along the way.Get dressed in the morningYou might be tempted to leave your nightwear on; after all, clients on the phone don’t need to know that you haven’t slipped into a business suit. Still, you should probably wear one anyway â€" not least because it could help you to get into the right attitude for working productively.Take advantage of your flexibilityDon’t be hard on yourself if you occasionally feel your attention wavering as you attempt to work. It could be just the right time for you to take a break, such as by cycling around the neighborhood or going for a swim. After all, you would be at liberty to do such things.“Because my work schedule can be as flexible as I need it to be, sometimes it’s important to walk away,”  Patti Hill, who founded the US-based Penman PR, told Inc.  â€œIt’s amazing what a cool dip on a hot day can do for helping boost creative juices.”Adopt your work routine to lifestyle changesAs the years pass, your life situation could change in numerous ways. For example, your kids might grow up and become less dependent on you. Furthermore, you might spot fresh, exciting job opportunities, leading you to shed more of your old responsibilities.All of this could influence the daily routine to which you should adhere for maximum productivity, so don’t be afraid to make changes as you see fit.Look after yourselfYou are your own largest asset in the world of work. However, when working from home, you could find family responsibilities drawing too much attention away from your own needs.The Balance Careers urges you  to “make time for what’s important for your own mental and physical health.” Consider exercising, meeting up with friends, and abandoning smoking for vaping, which is 95% healthier,  recent reporting from  The Guardian  has suggested.Buying a vaping device like the  Smok Alien 220W box mod  could he lp you to get started.This article first appeared on Your Coffee Break.You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people