Working from home can come with a very particular set of challenges. The danger of becoming too comfortable at your place of work is all too real. In that familiarity, you can pick up some bad work habits that get in the way of you being your usual productive self.
The truth is, sometimes we sabotage our own success because we don’t acknowledge our own less-than-desirable traits, or because we’re unhappy with where we’re at and fearful about making a change.
Here are four bad work habits that may indicate it’s time for you to take a deeper look at your motivations, intentions, and productivity while in the home office.
Not Waking Up Early
For many, this may be the hardest part of working from home. With no office to go to and no boss breathing down your neck, there can often be little motivation to get up at a reasonable hour and start work. At some point or another, most work from home professionals have fallen into the late morning trap, only to feel like they can never catch up, or that the day is slipping by. By incorporating a more traditional timeline into your daily schedule, you will get into a routine that encourages productivity.
Forgetting to Take a Break
When working from home, your house can become somewhat of a bunker. It's a safe spot that has everything you need, so why should you ever bother leaving? While this generally isn't a problem for extroverts, those of us who are introverts thrive in such an environment. If you suddenly find that you haven’t left the house in three days, it’s time to incorporate some outside time into your schedule!
In addition to the many physical health benefits, going outside is required for your mental sanity. My personal favorite activity is to go for a walk. Even if it’s just running errands or trying out a new hiking trail, I always come back to work with a fresh perspective and newfound energy.
Avoiding Paperwork
Even though we’re all working more virtually and digitally than ever before, we’re still responsible for processing our expense reports, departmental budgets, mileage records, and more. After a long day of supporting clients and running our businesses and lives, sometimes the last thing we want to do is enter receipts and submit paperwork. But to keep our sanity, we need to! Whether you use an app or break big projects down into smaller and easier steps, find a solution that works for you in keeping procrastination at bay.
Cluttered Workspaces
For most people, organized workspaces help promote productivity. However, like processing paperwork, keeping desks and offices neat can feel like busywork at the end of a long day. But there are risks too – lost paperwork, missing tools, coffee spilling all over an important presentation, and more. Sometimes it takes booking an entire day and dedicating it to organizing, streamlining, and cleaning out your workspace – but the benefits can be feeling clear, focused, and ready for whatever comes your way. And who wouldn’t like that feeling to start their day?
The way you work and the success you feel as a result of your work is directly impacted by your habits. Taking some time to reflect on how you want to show up at work (and in life!) allows you to infuse your own style, goals, and intentions into everything you do.
