My WFH journey started decades ago as a young mom determined to not ever go back to the office. There is a huge adjustment though, not the least of which is finding regular life all mixed up with work life, interruptions and new adventures in self-discipline. It took awhile, but over time it all became an integrated system. My advantage is that I had time to think about doing this, plan for it and was ready to make the mental shift and create space in my home to accommodate the plan. This has not been the case for many people out there who went from their happy work routine to all of a sudden finding themselves with a laptop at the dining room table shared with youngsters with homework or even a spouse doing same cause we all know how 2020 went! I have wondered if that is part of what accounted for the incredible uptick in home sales at a 14 year high.
Here are a few things learned along the way that help:
- Interruptions are going to happen – embrace them. There will always be a dog barking, a cat playing with your headset, a diaper that needs changing, your preschooler wants crackers and your 1st grader needs help with her math. Allow for these. Schedule space for them. Aren’t these primary relationships really the main event?
- Set parameters for work time and stick to them. Boundaries are our friend, they give us power and define who we are and who we aren’t. When I first started working at home I made a commitment to myself to not ever work on Sundays. It was hard at first. I had been the person who brought files home and worked until 11 after dinner and went into the office on the weekends to catch up or stay on top of things. No more. I broke that rule two times in a dozen years and both times regretted it.
- Establish space for work. So maybe it’s just a corner of the couch with your laptop and phone handy, but make that a space you leave just for work or have another space to put those items away when you are not at work. My first office was what the architect called a “file room” under the stairs in the basement. It’s a 3’x6′ space with a built in desk and shelves, with room enough for a rolling file cabinet and another one under the desk plus door with a lock so I could close it and go home. My office has moved to two other rooms over the years, but in this day of cloud storage and no need for fax machines, I may move my working office back to that cozy under the stairs space. All this to say that even a closet could be converted into a really efficient work space that keeps the work part of your life in it’s box.
- Self care still matters. I know it’s easy to think every day is Saturday now and hair combing and showers aren’t as important as before but… really they are. Meals still matter as does exercise. Create a routine around work the same way you did when you had to slam the alarm and head for the shower before WFH showed up. You are the reason work matters and not the reverse – live like it. What does taking care of you look like? Only you can answer this.
- Plan for the future. If it looks like WFH is for you or you are going to be doing it for the indefinite future then keep thinking about these things. Is it time to buy up or buy down or just buy with WFH in mind? What does your ideal space look like to meet your needs for work. For me it was big windows and a comfortable chair to ditch to when I’m not at the desk and a desk that allows both sitting and standing. It also means having a door I close when I have “gone home” for the day. Its a mental demarcation that I am not “at work.” Create your needs list and your wants list. Think about what could accomplish this. Look for ideas that inspire you. Here are a few.
If you decide it’s a new home you want or you just want to revise your home there are lots of options there. If you need to talk about financing, please reach out to me, always happy to kick around ideas and give you some numbers as you explore the opportunities.
Have helped buyers of all types and financial levels and worked on 1000's of loans.
There is always something new!
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