Welcome to the future of working from home!  It was a science-fiction story when I started working from home about ten years ago.  Yet, the 2020 pandemic pushed more companies into remote work.  Of course, some would argue that going to the office is more productive.  But personally, I am the most productive when I work from home, and I have a track record to prove it.  Luckily, my corporate job and my wellness business have been set up for remote work for a very long time.  However, many companies and people were unprepared as the global pandemic of 2020 caught us all by surprise.  As a result, jobs and lives were lost, businesses were forced to close down.

On the other hand,  many progressive companies opt-out of the traditional office cubes even before COVID-19.  Technology is here to help us.  In fact, I don’t see any point of the office since most office jobs can be done more effectively, saving money on commuting, rents, insurances, to name a few.  Not to mention stress levels and distractions associated with the office room and commute.  So, the old age of horse-and-carriage is finally crawling to the end of its era.  Whether you are a self-employed entrepreneur or a corporate worker trying to delve into the world of telecommuting, I’d like to share my few key points to help you out on the way.

1) Office Space to Master Remote Work

You must find a dedicated office space where you won’t be disturbed and set the office hours.  Communicate clearly with your co-inhabitants that you are working, take your time, space, and work seriously.  So, your family can take it seriously too.  I tried many gadgets and came up with a perfect setup.  So, I have an office with the following gear:

•  Flexispot Bike Desk ($479)
• FLEXISPOT Standing Desk Converter 28 Inches Stand up Desk Riser ($109), and
• Flexispot EG1 Standing Desk Height Adjustable Desk Electric Sit Stand Up Desk with Splice Board Home Office Desks 55 x 28 Inches ($299).

2) Focus when Working From Home

Set the schedule even if you don’t have to.  I work from 6:30 to 3:00.  Sometimes, I have to work weekends and put in some extra time to take an extended lunch when I need it.  However, this is not a habit for me.  In my work window, I set my timer for 1:15; I take 12 slow breaths and write out exactly what I will do over the next hour or so.  I have clear priorities for each year, month, day, and down to the last hour.  Once the timer is up, I get up to take a 10 to 15 minutes moving break, jump on the trampoline, or simply look far at the beautiful scenery outside.  Check out Andrew Huberman podcast on how to focus:

3) Planning and Scheduling Working From Home Hours

Don’t allow your work to stretch into your life.  Remember, focus on one thing at a time!  Multitasking is a myth.  Shut down your computer and have a solid plan for doing at 5:00 pm.  Commit.  Keep the word to yourself.

4) Don’t Neglect Your Relationships

Avoid getting stuck in a zone where work and non-work things like family and your time is overlapping.  Instead, schedule some time to hang out with your loved ones.  It doesn’t have to be elaborate; sitting in the room quietly might be enough for some, taking a walk for others.

5) Schedule Vacation Time

I take almost every weekend off.  In addition, each quarter, about four days or so and a few weeks for the winter and fall hiking seasons.  So take as much time as possible, but plan something enjoyable that doesn’t involve staring at the screen.  For me, there is nothing like some time alone in the mountains, followed by a hot bath and a good book.

6) Take Care of Your Fundamentals: Sleep, Eat, Move, and Laugh.

Daily, eat simultaneously, schedule time when you can commit to moving your body, ideally, through the day.  Something like 10 minutes to 20 minutes a few times a day.  Are you feeling stuck?  Get a 3-day SOFLY reboot program. 

7) Beware of Destructions

Eliminate instructions like a monk.  This is the hardest thing for me.  My work is pretty hard and can get very mundane.  It would be easy to flip the phone, go online, get a snack.  However, I committed to spending hyper-focused time and completing my task.  I get more tired if I allow distractions to slip in.

To conclude, working from home is one of the best gifts from the universe.  I’ve been working remotely for a few different corporations, running my business over the last 12 years, and loving it!