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How to Make Working from Home Work for You

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How to Make Working from Home Work for You

Everything I learned from 3 years of location-independent work

Medium,

5 min read
5 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

A realistic schedule can help freelancers unlock the perks of working at home.

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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • For Beginners
  • Engaging

Recommendation

Most business writers say freelancers should wake up early to make the most of the day, but if you’re a night owl, or you’re working around your children’s schedule, flexibility is one of the perks of the freelancing life. You can organize your work day to suit your circumstances. Every work-at-home experience is different, and it takes time to figure out which productivity hacks work best for you. According to Julia Horvath’s charming, first-person “Better Humans” article on Medium, your home office schedule is the key to your success. Setting long and short-term goals will help you meet deadlines and stay organized. If you’re new to working “location-independently,” this is a solid place to start.

Summary

“Location-independent” workers are just as productive as office workers.

If you work at home, you are “location-independent,” and the key to success is to figure out which routines work best for you. One experiment showed a 13% boost in performance for employees working from home compared to their in-office counterparts.

Wherever you set up your work space at home, you’ll need a connection to the internet, a desk or table, and noise levels you can live with. Natural light, access to fresh air and healthful food all support your general well-being.

Deadlines help you plan and stay on a schedule.

Preparation keeps you focused. It helps to set goals with measurable milestones. Determine medium-term goals over the course of three to six months to help you set priorities and lay out your schedule. For example, author Julia Horvath set out to hit certain freelance income goals and launch an online language course within six months.

Break your longer-term goals into shorter-term monthly goals. Break monthly goals down further into specific weekly tasks, and estimate how much time you think these tasks will...

About the Author

Julia Horvath is a freelance writer and publisher of The Pro-Crastinator newsletter for “location-independent” workers. “Better Humans” is a collection of writing on human potential and self-improvement.

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