I’ve worked from home multiple days per week for several years now, but it wasn’t until we moved from San Diego to Chicago that I started working remotely full time. Since I was able to work with the same company—but from afar—I transitioned from working from home 2 to 3 times per week to the full 5 days. This didn’t seem like a big deal to me because I was used to working from home, but now that it’s been over a year, I can definitely say it is a different lifestyle.
I enjoy working from home. I have so much more time in my day (due to not having a commute); I can use my work breaks to pick up the house; I rarely have to buy gas for my car; and I can wear comfy clothes 24/7 (jeans? what are those?). But I do miss certain aspects of my past lifestyle—like actually driving, being forced outside daily, dressing up for work, and simply being around people more often.
I really thought I’d hit a wall by this point and start hating the work-from-home thing, but considering I’m very much a home-body, I think it might take me longer to get cabin fever compared to others. Plus, I’ve learned how to adapt to the new lifestyle, effectively embracing the pros and managing the cons.
If you work from home and are struggling with it—or maybe you’re considering the shift and aren’t sure if you’ll like it—here are some of the lessons that have made a big difference in my mental health and overall well-being.
1. Caring About Your Appearance Still Matters
Doesn’t everyone work from home in leather pants? Juuuust kidding. I’ve always enjoyed putting myself together to go into the office; it makes me feel more confident. So when I didn’t have the need for this anymore, I just felt generally blah.
After a few months of working remotely, I decided to wear more than just sweats all the time (my go-to these days is leggings and sweaters…so, fancier sweats). I also wear a little makeup every day, which some people might think is weird, but it makes me feel ready for the day when I “try” a little more. Feeling more “presentable” has helped me feel better, even if I’m not seeing anyone.
2. Don’t Underestimate the Power of Midweek Outings
As an introvert, I enjoy working from home. But as an introvert, I struggle with leaving the house, because I much prefer staying in. I’m incredibly thankful to have a husband who encourages and helps me to do more during the week—whether it’s going out for dinner, going on walks, joining a sports league, or heading to a nearby brewery.
It’s much easier to do things and see people on the weekends, but I know getting out of the house during the week (even if it sounds unappealing at the time) helps me stay in my best mental state.
3. Hobbies Can Be Very Rewarding
Working from home typically means there’s more time in the day, because you no longer have a commute. While some days all I want to do is veg out in front of the TV, I’ve developed some discipline with prioritizing more rewarding hobbies.
Last year I worked my way through a bread-baking book, and while that might not seem that exciting, it gave me a little sense of purpose in the rest of my day that would otherwise be pretty mundane. Developing that skill and knowledge felt fulfilling. This year I’ve become much more focused on reading books during some of my spare time each day. It makes me feel productive while still relaxing.
4. A Separate Space for Work Helps Break up the Day
More often than not lately, you’ll find me working on the couch. But for at least a little bit every day, I move to my desk where I have a little setup that’s more conducive to productivity. (It also makes me happy because there are a lot of plants in there, and it gets way more sunlight than any other spot in our apartment…hence the plants). I actually don’t like sitting anywhere for several hours at a time, so I tend to move around. Sometimes I even work standing at the counter.
But even if I’m not at my desk all day, having that separate space has been so important for me. Especially because: when you live and work in the same place, it can get uninspiring always being in the same room(s). Escaping to my office for about half of every work day helps break things up.
5. Keeping a Routine Separates Work from Free Time
A big issue a lot of people have when working from home is their days and evenings start blending together. I’ve always put a high value on the work-life balance, so I try not to make working into the night a habit. That’s why I think it’s essential to maintain structure in the work day. It’s too easy to get distracted, take large breaks, and make it up later. But while that’s nice at the time, it cuts into your free time and pretty soon work becomes your entire life (hard pass).
The most frequent question I get about working from home is, “Is it hard to focus? I feel like I’d be so distracted.” And while there are a million great distractions (Hulu is calling…), sticking close to my 8-hour workday routine has helped me keep myself accountable and stay productive, while still feeling refreshed from my personal time at the end of each day.
6. Being Aware of Mood Changes Can Help You Snap out of a Funk
I’ve found it’s easy to get lost in a funk when you’re stuck in the house so much. This is even more likely if you get the winter blues, due to a lack of sunlight and cold temperatures making you not want to leave the house. Over the course of the past year, I’ve been especially conscious of how I feel during the week, because once I start feeling jaded, it tends to spiral and I’m just generally cranky.
Being aware of when I’m getting to this point has helped me take action to snap out of it. This usually just means getting out of the house (like working from a coffee shop or getting dinner out) and seeing friends. Having events planned for the weekend also gives me something to look forward to and makes me feel more positive during the work week. It keeps my spirit alive and my motivation going.
There are a lot of other little lessons that I could share, but the ones mentioned above have made the biggest impact on both my mental health and focus while working from home. I’m still working on a lot of them, but I know with the right environment and habits, I can thrive in this work-from-home lifestyle.
Do you go into an office or work from home? Which do you prefer?
