Importance of Sticking to Your Routine

My name is Claire Cullen, marketing specialist at DeanHouston, and like many others, I find myself working from home for the very first time due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

While preparing to work from home, I did some research to find out how I could make the transition from office to home more seamless. During my research, I kept coming across one tip more than others: keep your morning routine as consistent as possible. Taking this advice to heart, I'm doing everything I can to create a consistent routine.

My routine consists of waking up in the morning and getting ready for work as I normally would – getting dressed, eating breakfast, doing my makeup, etc. Probably not that unusual for most people who work from home. However, where I think I might be unusual is that I even get into my car and "drive to work." Basically, I drive around the block so it feels like I'm still commuting to the office.

Sounds crazy I know, but nothing says keeping a morning routine like getting into your car and driving to and from work! For me, getting some fresh air by taking a drive before work and after work gives me just the right amount of time to prepare for the day and then unwind and decompress after it.

From meal prepping to dressing for the job to creating set hours, the list of tips for mastering working from home is long. Here are the top 5 tips I try to follow:

1. Keep a routine
2. Keep your mornings as consistent as possible
3. Dress for the job
4. Have a designated work from home area
5. Practice separating working from being home

I've learned a lot about working from home recently, but one thing's for sure: there's not a “one size fits all” approach. Find some tips and tricks that work for you. But most importantly, make it as enjoyable as possible.