This blog post discusses how to make the most of your WFH routine with tips for creating balance and productivity.
In recent years, many of us have been working from home (WFH) in some capacity. Back in 2020 when I had my corporate job, I worked in an office from 8:30am to 5:30pm every day. Like so many others at the beginning of quarantine, I was required to work from home. Even though it was a big adjustment, I did my best to make the most of it and ended up loving it. Now that I’m a blogger, home continues to be my natural work habitat and I am so thankful for that. I love my WFH routine and want you to love yours, too.
I realize there’s a big difference working from home when you’re on the clock for a company versus working for yourself. Regardless of the amount of flexibility you have in your situation, these nine tips can apply to your own WFH routine.
1. Establish a consistent start time, especially if you’re a hybrid worker.
In my old corporate job, I eventually adopted a hybrid schedule. This meant I worked in the office a few times a month but worked from home the rest of the time. Either way, I always made sure I was completely ready to start my day at 8:00am. Although I didn’t have to clock in until 8:30am, it gave me plenty of time to commute to the office on days when I had to go in. On my WFH days, I could use the extra time to do whatever I wanted, whether it was start a load of laundry or put some thank you notes in the mail. Having a consistent start time set me up for success no matter what my day looked like.
2. Take small breaks throughout the day.
When I worked in the office, it was normal and acceptable to have small breaks all the time. Every morning, I would meet up with my boss and close coworker for tea time. We’d spend 10 minutes chatting about what we had for dinner the night before or updating each other on our latest personal drama, all while making ourselves cups of tea. This was always one of the highlights of my day.
Even when you’re working from home, you still deserve to have little moments like this! If a significant other or roommate works from home, pay them a visit to see how they’re doing. Go make that cup of coffee, do some stretches or cuddle your pets if you have any.
3. Optimize your lunch break.
Your lunch break doesn’t have to just be for eating. While you should fuel yourself up with a midday meal, it doesn’t have to take up the entirety of your break. I know how tempting it can be sit down with your food and scroll on social media until it’s time to go back to work, but there are better things you can do with your time.
You certainly can watch TikTok videos for the few minutes while you’re eating, but if it’s a nice day, put on your sneakers and walk for 20-30 minutes around your neighborhood. Set out the ingredients on your kitchen counter for the dinner you plan to make later that night. Take a few minutes to organize that junk drawer that’s been driving you crazy. These small actions serve the future version of yourself and will give you a sense of accomplishment outside of work.
4. Move around your house throughout the day.
Even though I’m lucky enough to have a designated home office, I still move around my house with my laptop throughout the day. While some sources say it’s important to work in the same spot to establish a clear boundary between work and home life, I personally disagree! Your house is meant to be lived in and enjoyed, even if you are working.
You know that spot that always gets the most sun? Move your work setup there when you need some inspiration. Not feeling the best with cramps or a cold? Snuggle up on your couch with your favorite blanket and go to town on your administrative tasks. Around here, being comfortable = being productive.
5. Complete quick, simple household chores.
This is a controversial topic for sure, but hear me out. I’m the type of person that’s always burdened with a heavy mental load, so I’m constantly thinking about what’s next on my to-do list. When I worked in an office, I would find myself fretting about all the household tasks I needed to do when I got home from work to the point where it was counterproductive.
When we began working from home, completing quick, simple household chores became a silver lining. That time I’d spend filling up my water bottle in the office cafeteria? It would take me just as long to throw some laundry into the washing machine. The five-minute in-person conversation I’d have with my boss about our favorite kind of chocolate? I could empty my dishwasher in that time!
In reality, these little things I’d do around the house didn’t take up any more time that I would normally “waste” at work. If anything, it made me feel better to be doing something productive during those short breaks. I believe that anything you can do to relieve your mental load is worth it! Plus, who doesn’t love having a clean kitchen to cook dinner in or a tidy living room to relax in at night?
6. Consider meal prepping.
Meal prepping is the gift that keeps on giving. You can gain so much time back in your WFH routine if you don’t even have to think about cooking. Looking for a less hectic morning before diving into work? Meal prep a few breakfast options over the weekend. Want to really optimize that lunch break? Make a simple pasta salad or meal that you quickly reheat in the microwave. I have an entire blog post all about creating a meal prep routine, so be sure to check it out for inspiration.
7. Distracted? Use the Pomodoro technique.
When I have a task that I’m not looking forward to doing, I tend to procrastinate and get distracted easily. The Pomodoro technique is one of my favorite time-management tools to combat this. If you haven’t heard of it before, you essentially decide on a block of time where you work with no distractions whatsoever. Immediately following this intense focus time is a short break where you can decompress however you’d like. My preferred time frame is 25 minutes of solid work and a short 5-minute break. I use this app to track my time and progress.
8. Get out of the house!
One of the worst side effects of WFH is that there are days where you don’t leave your house. This is fine every once in a while, but it won’t do much good for your mental health over time. Try to leave your house at least once a day. Go to the gym after work or grab your Target pickup order. Get a coffee from your favorite cafe early in the morning or pick up some pizza for dinner right after you’ve ended your day. Also try to visit friends and family throughout the week to ensure you’re getting proper social interaction beyond your computer screen.
9. Instill a wrap-up session at the end of the day.
This is good advice no matter where you’re working from, but it’s especially helpful when you WFH so you can transition out of your work mode. Write down your to-do list for the following day and also be sure to clean up your space. Throw away any snack wrappers, declutter old sticky notes and fold up any blankets or sweaters you may have used during the day. Think of it like a closing shift so that you can enter the next part of your day/evening with a clean slate.
My WFH Routine
If you’re looking for some real-life inspiration, here’s what my current WFH routine looks like.
- Wake up 5:30am. The early bird gets the worm! I start my day off by walking for 30 minutes to an hour on my treadmill.
- Get ready for the day. This includes teeth care, showering, doing my skincare, fixing my hair, putting makeup on and getting dressed. I love to watch YouTube videos as I do all of this.
- Eat breakfast and make coffee. I’ve been loving these mini egg white frittatas. I pop a few in my air fryer and then douse them in my favorite hot sauce. I’ve also started making my coffee at home in this tumbler to save money from too many Dunkin’ runs.
- Check planner and update to-do list. I like to do this during breakfast to see if there’s anything I need to adjust or change for the day ahead.
- Work for 6 solid hours. I normally work from 8am-12pm and 1pm-3pm. When I’ve finished a task, you’ll definitely find me taking small breaks and doing things like wiping down my kitchen counters. I also try to coordinate my break with my husband’s since he works from home as well. We normally eat lunch together and go on a quick walk in our neighborhood.
- Wrap up for the day at 3pm. This is where I write down any work-related tasks for the next day in my Day Designer planner like this one and clean up my space.
- Get ready for the gym or tackle bigger household tasks. I go to the gym a few times a week after work. If it’s a non-gym day, I’ll use this time to complete a more time-consuming household task, like washing the dishes.
- Make and eat dinner. My husband and I have a ritual to cook our evening meal together — we listen to music and talk about our days. We also like to watch TV together while we eat.
- Clean up from dinner and tidy living spaces. We also tag team this and like to think of it like we’re closing down our house for the night.
- Get ready for bed. If I haven’t already changed into my PJs and done my skincare, I do that now plus take care of my teeth.
- Couch and laptop time. I usually like to get back on my laptop to edit a blog post or do some admin tasks. I like to make it more of a cozy session — I almost always am wearing under eye patches on with some reality TV on in the background. I also update my to-do list in my notes app and planner during this time.
- Wrap up for the evening at 8:30pm. I turn all my technology off and I start to wind down by making a cup of spearmint tea. I also try to pick up whatever book I’m reading at the time since it’s my current goal to read two books a month.
- Lights out in bed by 9:30pm. Gotta get those precious 8 hours of sleep in!
What does your current WFH routine look like? Do you like WFH or prefer being in the office? Let me know in the comments below!
This blog post was all about having a productive and balanced WFH routine.
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