When you commute to an office, you have a routine. That routine serves the important purpose of transitioning you from your home self to your work self and back again.
This routine is critical in transitioning your mind and body into the workday in the morning, and out of the workday in the evening. These transitions occur naturally when you commute.
One challenge of working from home is the integration of home and work thwarts that natural transition. You’re unmotivated or distracted to start your workday, and that turns into difficulty staying engaged throughout, which then leads to a challenge in being fully present with your family in the evening.
It took me a while to find what works for me, and it shifts around a bit. My routine currently doesn’t look exactly like it did a couple of years ago. But when I’m on my game, it always involves these 4 elements:
- Intention to start the day
- Priming my mind
- Priming my body
- Creating a ToDo list with a clear head prior to the firefights and distractions of the day
What should you do?
Experiment. Try different things. Start with something similar to what you do today. Take a shower and getting dressed as if you were going to the office. Take a walk to emulate the commute.
The key is to find a routine that transitions you from your home self into your work self. Once you have that, you’ll find your motivation and focus return.
