I’ll be the first one to tell you that working from home, or working remotely, is the absolute best. I absolutely LOVE it! Does that mean that it’s for everyone and that it’s the easiest way to work? Not always. Many people have the common misconception that remote workers have the freedom to be lazy and work whenever they want. Some people certainly take advantage of their remote working situation, but I strongly believe that a remote worker cannot be successful without structure within their home. Lack of structure can diminish your efficiency, mental health, and lead to burn out.

Some people find that working remotely is harder than going into work because they find it difficult to establish and stick to a routine and, therefore, require the structure and accountability that a public workplace offers. Distractions are a real obstacle when working remotely so figuring out ways to have time free of distractions can be a daunting task for some.

Working remotely or in-office both have their pros and cons, but having a structure while at home makes me feel like I’m getting the best of both worlds. In an effort to help you establish a routine for your work day, I will share what has been/is working best for me over the past 2 years.

Morning Routine

Your morning routine is the most important piece of structure within your day because it sets you up for success right off the bat. You’ll always want to wake up at the same time everyday while allowing yourself enough time to get your morning tasks done. If your job starts at 9 am, you’ll want to wake up at a time that allows you to eat breakfast, play with the pup, read your devotion, and make a cup of coffee all before you sit down at your desk at 9. Just because you work from home doesn’t mean you get to sleep in!

Once you get your non-work related tasks done, you will need to head to your designated workspace, whether it’s an office or just a desk in a corner of your home, 10 minutes before you have to start work. This allows you time to make sure you have everything you need at your desk to begin your work day. Make sure your desk is clear, you have enough supplies, and you have enough coffee at your fingertips. I try really hard not to leave my office while working in the morning to maximize my productivity and focus. This step helps me to have everything I need throughout my morning right at my desk.

Mid-Day Routine

After you’ve made it through the most productive part of your day, you deserve a break! I highly suggest that you have a specific time that you take your lunch break everyday. In an office, I feel like you have social encounters and meetings with others to keep you going mentally, but working remotely takes away that aspect of work thus making taking breaks that much more important.

Another tip is to eat your lunch in a different location than your designated workspace whether in your kitchen or outside. Take about 20-30 minutes to eat, go for a walk, play with your dog, or call someone; anything that allows you to completely disconnect from your work so that you can take care of your mental health and give your mind a break from work. We are a people created for community so making sure that you get socialization throughout your day is imperative for your success as a remote worker with a healthy mentality.

End of Day Routine

By now you’ve seen a theme: have set times for each start and end throughout the work day. The same goes for the end of the work day. So many people work throughout their evenings and miss out on family time and time to decompress. Try your very best not to work late and have set hours for your day. This means that at 5:00 pm you are logging off of your computer and walking away from your workspace. Be sure to take the time to start responding to urgent emails 30 mins before it’s time to log off. I typically like to clear my inbox at the beginning and end of everyday as to not waste time throughout the day going back and forth and making my inbox a distraction.

Another thing that I like to do at the end of the work day is to take time to clean up my workspace of any cups or trash that I might have accumulated throughout the day. So once I clock out for the day, I turn off my equipment, collect unnecessary desktop items, and leave my home office for the evening.

Make no mistake, having an established routine does not mean you will never have off days - off days are still a thing for the successful remote worker. I still have days when I work through my lunch break and come back to my office in the evenings - it happens! Having a routine, though not perfect, will help you to balance your work life with your personal life and give you a sense of stability in, what can feel like, a workplace full of distractions.

If you would like to read more tips and info on work-from-home routines or would like to know my own daily routine, let me know in the comments.

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