By Mary Rae Floresca | Negosentro.com
While Fifth Harmony’s song Work from Home keeps on replaying in your playlist or on the radio, let’s recap a few reminders on how to succeed in your career while still wearing your comfy pajamas and rubber slippers and your messy bun.
1. Create a work desk
Like when you are still studying, you have a “study desk” even if it’s in front of the TV, it is still a study desk. Make something like that even when you’re all grown up. Allot a designated space in your room or space in your living room where you have your desk, laptop, comfy chair and anything you need in your work. Creating this space reminds you to be separated from your soft bed you want to lie on the kitchen where you want to munch and nibble food nonstop.
2. Dress properly
Why do you have to dress properly but you’re working from home? Yes this is important, especially when you are Skyping a client or your student. Throw on a sharp blazer an still look professional, comb your hair, don’t worry they can’t smell you, right? -and you will still be wearing your Havaianas rubber slippers.
3. Save your extra cash
A lot of work-from-home people doesn’t receive their salary every 10-25 or 15-30. It may not be “pay-day Friday!” for you, when you don’t consume all your income from the last pay, you at least have something to spend with when your friends suddenly call you for an after-work dinner. Another circumstance is, what if your client doesn’t want you anymore? Will you find another online job as fast as you can-no, keep an emergency fund.
4. Set boundaries
Your family and friends would expect you to be always free because you work on your couch. They think your work is very flexible but it’s not, with different time zones of your clients, for sure, you’re like a vampire! Set your own “office hours” and stick to them. Don’t make yourself too available or else you will be the point person for every errand.
5. Log out from social media
If you really want to finish your task right away and you are most importantly, beating the deadlines, block off your social media sites. Turn off your data or wifi from your mobile phone. Stay focused, don’t get distracted on the popping notification sound. You can do that later, yes?
6. Take a break
Don’t fret if you feel like you already don’t know how to socialize after being stuck at home. Come on, join some online groups, keep the conversation going. When you have time, meet up with your friends, spend time with your family. After staying at home for so long, there might be a newly opened restaurant nearby!
