Digital Nomads.
Freelancers.
Bloggers.
Travel Writers.
Love us, hate us, or simply join us! After all, in this day and (digital) age, we ain’t going nowhere!
So, for those of you who brave enough to tread a new path and go against the norm, first, give yourself a pat on the back (yay!) and second, read on to gain some insight on how to make working from home, work for you. #IAmMyOwnBoss
Setting a schedule
Setting a schedule is very important as this gives you a routine that you can easily follow. It’s very easy to fall off the tracks and have one too many lazy days, so making sure you have something to follow can help keep you focused.
In my case, I get certain things out of the way in the morning — breakfast, sweeping, chucking in a load of laundry, going for a run by the beach, etc. — but come 10:30, I buckle down and get to work. This is the time I’ve set for myself and this of course varies from person to person. So feel free to sit down, focus and get into work mode at any time you feel comfortable but make sure there’s a certain consistency to it, day in and day out. Which leads me to my next point…
Self-discipline
Bouncing off the idea of setting a schedule, it’s not enough that you’ve put that in place. It’s then up to you to follow through and have self-discipline to actually stick to it. Being disciplined not only allows you to be productive, but it will also allow you to gain more freedom to do other (fun) things. (Happy hour at Old Man’s at 5? LOL) So, no more que sera sera, because whatever will be… is what you put your mind to. #CrackThatWhip
Dress up!
Feeling a bit blah and just can’t seem to get on with your work day? There’s a simple cure to that — dress up! I for one, am a HUGE believer in this. Even though I don’t go into an office, I still like to dress up (still well within Bali standards that is — shorts and a tank top), put a bit of makeup on and fix my hair. It gets me in a certain mindset (like I’m ready to conquer the day) and magically erases laziness away. Seriously, give it a try.
Extra non-work related tip: This also works for days when you don’t feel like going to the gym / working out. At least put your gym clothes on and after 10-15 minutes, your mood and mind would have changed already.
Get out
Working from home doesn’t necessarily mean staying home. Go to a local neighborhood cafe, go to a park, or just go anywhere, really… Because let’s face it, staying home can get boring at times. Break the monotony and discover hole-in-the-wall places while you’re at it. #TwoBirdsWithOneStone
Get off social media – self-shaming in public
Another tip that I absolutely swear by! I kid you not, you will get some serious work done if you “self-shame” in public. Because I don’t know about you, but I don’t like errbody up in my business when I’m out. People seeing photos of your friends, your status message, and accounts you follow as they walk past you on the way to the toilets? Uh-uh. Not cool. So close that Facebook tab and focus on your work. Leave the personal social media viewing / stalking for when you get home.
Find like-minded people / go to a co-working space
Get inspiration from others who are in the same boat as you. Go to your nearest co-working space and expand your network. You never know just who you might meet, or what you could learn from them.
Peace, Love and Lipgloss,
morenabeachbum