I’ve been working from home since 2009.

As of today, that’s technically 13 years. (You can probably already tell that I’m not your average ‘marketer’, because I didn’t round up to 15-years in the title of this article…)

In the face of the pandemic, the last few years seem to have thrown some people for a loop. Companies are weighing out the pros and cons of in-person vs commercial leases. As an experienced businesswoman, I thought I would throw my 2-cents into the ring (or net, as it is today).

I know, I know, It’s been over 2 years since COVID started, and you’re thinking that I’m late to the party on this topic.

Maybe. But not really.

No matter how you look at it, remote work is here to stay. Consider these stats:

• 77% of remote workers say they’re more productive when they’re working from home. (CoSo Cloud)
• The average annual income of remote workers is $4,000 higher than that of other workers. (FlexJobs)
• 99% of people would choose to work remotely for the rest of their life, even if it was just part-time. (Buffer)

This stat from Buffer might not be scientific – but it shows that WFM isn’t just a trend – it could redefine the workplace of the future…

Working from Home: It’s Not a One-Size Fits All Solution

I agree with all the standard suggestions about working from home:

• create your own space
• be flexible
• set boundaries

Let me share what I actually do that has worked since 2009.

I’ve worked from home in a variety of locations, which many of you can relate to: some temporary, some permanent, some before kids, and since 2012, with kids (including the year we home-schooled, which is another whole article in itself…).

What’s the biggest plus for me? I LOVE the flexibility that I have not having to show up at an office every day.

But it does require a different kind of discipline, skills, and tools. Sure, working from home isn’t suited to everyone, as each one of us has our own unique work preferences and situations. I think that while there can be frustrations (same as the office), working from home can offer many benefits.

Why Does Working From Home Work For Me?

Here are my three top reasons why I chose this type of work, and how I’ve been able to adapt and successfully continue WFH:

1. Cost – A home office provides some tax benefits, is a much less expensive alternative to renting commercial space, and avoids gas/vehicle expenses. There is less time lost in my day because I don’t have to commute. Therefore, I have more billable hours, time for hobbies, and/or family time.
2. Efficiency – Being a homebody, an introvert, and an efficiency nerd, I’m constantly looking to maximize my resources. I don’t have the need for as much separation between work and home, or a desire to engage in a variety of conversations. For an extreme extrovert, there might need to be more balance, but for me, it has enabled me to make the greatest use of my time and resources for my family and for myself.
3. Flexibility – Being at home allows me to balance hobbies, family needs and housework much easier and quickly. The ability to pivot from work to home adds a flexibility that’s very valuable especially with a young family.

And when I need a change of scenery, I utilize coffee shops, libraries, or set up shop outside to productively combine my need for nature and vitamin D with my working creativity.

Focus on the Outcome – Not the Hours

Create Space: I currently have a 200 sq. ft. office with windows, a big desk, and a reading nook.

This hasn’t always been the case…

I’ve worked from the corner of my bedroom when we were in between houses, the hallway or laundry room when we were renovating, the picnic table when we were camping, and the coffee shop down the road when I needed to escape the chaos of infants at home.

Being flexible is a valuable tool, whether you’re working from home or at the office.

But no matter the situation, I always created a space for myself. It might have been small at times, but I would step away and focus.

And that’s another valuable tool. You train yourself to concentrate on what needs to be done, not what’s going on around you.

Read more about practical productivity here.

The Good and Bad of Working From Home is the Flexibility

You can get WAY more laundry done when you can swap loads on your way to the bathroom. But it’s also a lot easier for you to get distracted by cleaning or unannounced visitors (who don’t quite understand the concept of WFH) when you never leave to go to the office.

I have found ways to embrace the flexibility by focusing more on the outcomes than the hours. Does it really matter if I work on that project at 9am or 9pm? Maybe not.

By working on it at 9am I can get a much better night’s sleep. By working on it at 9pm I can enjoy breakfast with a friend. So, what’s good this week could be different next week. You learn to stretch your flexibility to suit your individual needs.

Of course, there are always deadlines and meetings to attend, so not all the hours in a day are flexible, but when I can easily be available to pick kids up from school or go for a walk on a nice day, my work/life balance is feeling pretty good.

Boundaries are Key When You’re Working From Home

Creating your own space and allowing for flexibility only really work with boundaries in mind.

Your space needs to be respected, acknowledging that when you’re at your desk or in your office, you’re working and ‘not available’.

This can be hard for kids. I know. Having flexibility can’t be taken advantage of because ultimately, you’re the one having to stay up late finishing up work if you let others monopolize all of your daylight hours.

Another important boundary is with your work. I personally like to check my email and clean out spam at any hour I’m awake.

But I am pretty specific about the time I sit in my office and am on the job. I concentrate on my task and not on emails. Not everyone can do this, some people need to put their phones away and use that as ‘leaving the office’.

How I Make WFM Work for Me: My Specific Disciplines, Skills & Tools

Monthly Calendar: I plan my year, months, weeks, and days.

I’m not perfect at this, but I’m fairly intentional. I plan out time off for the year and make sure it’s on the calendar, with extra time around those days/weeks to prepare before and after. The same goes for any full day client events or launches. I review this each week to stay on track and see what’s coming up.

Standard Hours: I do have a picture of what I consider to be a ‘normal day’.

Barring any reason for change, I plan to start working at 9am and shut my computer off by 5pm. I utilize this schedule, on average, 3 days per week: however, that’s less important. The more important factor is that I have a ‘default’, something to set my plan by, and then I can adjust as needed from there. It also helps me to set boundaries with others in my life.

Realistic Expectations: I’ve come to recognize what’s realistically possible for myself by looking at what I’ve actually accomplished, not what I should be able to do. And I set daily goals related to these expectations and my goals.

Online Project Management: We use an online project management system for outlining all of our projects and tasks. At any time, I can see what’s due and upcoming. This allows me to plan my weeks and days, as well as be clear about when I can be flexible…and when I can’t.

Weekly Team Meetings: It’s very helpful for our team to meet weekly during normal months, sometimes twice a week during busier months. We have been accomplishing this via Zoom since 2013. Even with our project management system, we still see a huge benefit in ‘face time’ to brainstorm and discuss initiatives at the beginning of each week.

Phone Calls: I don’t answer unscheduled phone calls. I understand that not everyone can adopt this practice, but I have found the greatest interruption in my day to be the ‘unexpected phone call’.

It’s near impossible to know how long the call will be in advance, therefore I screen my calls and reply as needed via email with an invitation to schedule a meeting.

Schedule ‘Maybes’: I live by my calendar – if it’s not in my calendar, I won’t be there. I also use a scheduling software to allow people to book meetings with me automatically.

I even add ‘maybe’ events to my calendar. For example, picking up and dropping my kids off at school is not something I do more than once a week, but I have it on my calendar every day, ‘just in case’. This helps me plan and see all the possibilities in my days and weeks.

Internal Communications: Our team communications live in the same system we use to track project progress and tasks. In fact, we’re adamant that all notes and information regarding projects be saved or duplicated in our project management system. This consistency helps to eliminate confusion and decreases room for error.

What’s the real lesson in all of this?

I’ve been successfully working from home since 2009, with much of the same technology in place since 2013.

So, I can say this with confidence: It’s not just possible, it’s doable!