Working from home is amazing.
Anyone who does not do it will agree regardless of the 101 excuses as to why they wouldn’t do it.
Sure you might be missing out on the overpriced lunches that can only come with co-workers but what other “pro” about a real job can beat working from home?
Not many.
Now with the dream life of working remotely or being your own boss comes the many struggles that only other work from home individuals can understand.
Productivity can creep up on you faster than you can catch it unless you combat things for the better.
So before you hit any of the major obstacles that come with the work from home world, let me share with you the one thing that made me that much more productive.
Working Away From Home
I know this kind of takes away the whole “work from home” deal but unless you haven’t done it before, it is not the easiest thing to work from home.
The first thing that comes with such a lifestyle is the fact that things can get very mundane.
Sitting at the same spot, with the same boring office can do crazy things to your mind and a change of scenery is the only other option.
Secondly, the home front comes with nothing but distractions.
From the couch and TV, to the bed you just left not too long ago, there are too many things that can take you away from the task at hand.
Lastly, your family is no help.
At least when it comes to focusing on work and STAYING focused.
Sure I do everything for them but that does not mean they need to be around when you work.
Coincidently speaking, I can hear my other half yelling at the kids and that is exactly what I am getting to here at the very moment.
If I wasn’t doing a post like the one I am doing now, I would have lost focus and the NFL playoff game that was going on would be my next option.
So without interfering with the steady flow of work, here are some place I go to help me be that much more productive.
Coffee Shops
This is of course a very common venue as it has everything you need.
Coffee, a nice ambiance, and most especially, the wifi that is needed for that laptop of yours.
I personally like the less crowded and frequented shops so places like Starbucks are not on my list of coffee shops.
A nice coffee shop that has less traffic and a nice spot to work is going to work best.
I currently ride my bike to different coffee shops and I don’t go to just one every single time.
There is a pattern that I follow, so I know when certain coffee shops are less crowded and whatnot, so you can develop one too.
Outside the House
As a newb to blogging, I started from my mom’s house.
There was a bunch of people living there that I could not get much work done.
If I wasn’t waking up at 3 am (which I did regardless), I found it easier to work outside.
I found me a nice little tree that provided an adequate amount of shade and that is where my office was most of the time.
Being with nature has always been something I enjoyed and being able to work around it is absolutely amazing.
I create some of my best content there and that is something I recommend if you are starting to get tired of your home office.
Now, I do stay in a condo so I work from my balcony that does provide me with a nice ocean view.
This also brings me into my other favorite place to work.
The Beach
Not many of you can do this but as a blogger, working from a beach is something you see in a movie.
I remember when I used to see the stock photos of people working from a laptop on a beach and how I wanted to do it.
From what once was a dream is now a reality and it always humbles me to my early beginnings.
If you have access to any kind of beach, take your laptop and make use of what mother nature provides.
You might not have access to wifi but you can always tether to your phone or use a word document or iWriter like I use for my Mac.
Hotel Lobbies
I first tried working in a hotel lobby when my online business really started to pick up.
Sitting there with all the tourists walking by, I can feel that I was really that much more different than everyone else.
While everyone was at work, I was sitting in a hotel lobby and not worrying about what anyone around me thought.
I still work at hotel lobbies at least once a week and it always reminds me of the road I took to get to where I am.
Thanks to the complimentary wifi, I am able to ride my bike along with a nice cup of Joe from home, all while working in an unusual but positive environment.
Your Car
This might sound crazy but I do this quite often.
It all started with me waiting in line to pick my kids up from school.
I had 30 minutes to waste and instead of playing Candy Crush on my phone, I decided to pull my laptop out.
Who would’ve thought that I can pop out a full blog post in such a short amount of time?
Well that’s what happened and since then, I find myself working in the parking lot of my kid’s school.
If you are ever in any situation where you find yourself sitting in your car for even just 15 minutes, take out your computer and give it a try.
Extra Tips
Sure you can work all over the place and there isn’t just 5 or even 10 places to do it.
Get creative and see what works best for you.
In my house alone, I work in about 7 different places.
- My office
- Dining room
- Livingroom
- Bathroom (Hey, you can get a lot done on the John)
- Balcony
- Bedroom
Moving around can make you think that you are in a different office, so do this often and you will get a lot more accomplished.
As I finish this post, I am currently in my actual office and I can hear everyone and their mother (literally) talking.
A great way to fix this problem is to play some good old music that you can block out all the distractions.
I also find that locking my door keeps the kids away, so you can try that too.
Conclusion
Working from home might be a dream come true but it does come with its obstacles.
I thought complacency only happened while I was in the military but it very much happens in almost every part of life.
When you feel like work is starting to get tough and you start getting the feeling that you’re getting writer’s block, remember these tips.
Pin it for later if you have a Pinterest account or test your brain and just try to remember it.
Other than that, I hope these tips have helped you in one way or another.
Please do share some of your favorite “work from home” spots as I’m sure there are hundreds more out there.
Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!
– John
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