Today, more and more people are getting the opportunity
to work from home, which is great.
But sometimes, like what's happening right now
with the coronavirus, certain circumstances
may actually force people to work from home.
And while working from home does come with a lot of perks--
you get to work in your pajamas.
You have no commute.
You get to hang out with your dog.
I love you.
It also does have some real challenges.
Because there's less structure, you may actually work too much
and focus too hard and get burned out.
What's the answer?
The second is actually kind of the opposite.
It might just be hard to focus and get as much done
as you really want to do.
The key to overcoming both of these challenges
is to set boundaries around your time and space.
So when you're working, you're working.
And when you're not working, you're not.
Here's how.
The first thing you're going to want to do
is give yourself a dedicated workspace
away from distraction, meaning away from the TV,
away from any music or the kitchen.
One thing that's really helpful is to be able to shut the door,
so that you're out of sight.
[SAD MUSIC PLAYING]
The second thing you want to do is make a schedule
and stick to it.
And it may sound silly, but you actually
want to pretend that you're not working from home.
So get up as you normally would.
Pour yourself a cup of coffee.
Sit down with your computer.
It's good practice to play out for yourself
what's acceptable and not acceptable
to do during office hours.
So for example, when you're at work,
you're not going to play with your dog or listen to music.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
So don't do them while you're at home actually focusing
on your work.
Finally, you're going to want to quit at quitting time.
Even if you're in the middle of a project,
put it down, because it will help you
get jumpstarted the next day.
Do you want to get me sipping my coffee?
[LAUGHS]
The third thing you're going to want to do is set boundaries.
The people or animals in your life
are going to see you at home and think
you're taking the day off.
But that's not the case.
Buddy, I need you to listen to me.
I know what this looks like, but it's not what it seems.
You're going to want to explain to them, unapologetically,
that you're working from home.
We'll go on a walk at lunch.
We'll go to the park.
And the more they see you around the house doing your thing,
the more they're going to begin to understand that this
is your time to focus.
So at the end of the day, you might feel like you just
didn't get enough done.
This is pretty normal, and a lot of people
feel this way when they work from home.
That's why the last thing that's really important to do
is celebrate your wins.
Maybe write them down and go over
everything you did that day.
These daily reminders are really good,
because they can create a virtuous cycle.
And the next time you work from home, [DOG BARKING]
you might feel a little bit more focused and just better
about your day when it's over.
Because it's not easy.
[MUSIC PLAYING]