In recent months, many people have started working from home as individuals and companies re-evaluate the role that offices play in modern business. Previously, we may have chosen to work in an office or co-working space, but now many people are setting up remote workplaces in the home. While there are advantages and opportunities to working from home, it also has its fair share of challenges!
We talked with Christina Gomez, our Head of Customer Experience, about her background in remote work. As someone with years of experience working at home, she’s implemented a streamlined work-at-home space for herself and her husband.
Christina lives in Bogota, Colombia, and formerly enjoyed using a coworking space for work. Now that she no longer has the option of going there, she and her husband are sharing a home workspace.
In our conversation with Christina, we asked her to share the biggest challenge that she’s faced while working from home with her husband. She related that the hardest thing for her is managing the household: balancing work while also keeping up with cooking and cleaning and trying to ensure that the house stays perfect. When the home is used as an office for two all day every day, it can be difficult to keep it neat!
She also related that by the end of the workday, it’s difficult to find things to share with her husband. They often hear each other’s meetings, and already know everything that’s gone on during the day.
Christina shared with us her top five tips and methods that she uses to maintain a streamlined and productive home office for herself and her husband. We hope they are useful!
Tip #1. Look at the Bright Side!
Sometimes, working remotely can seem tough or challenging, but if you choose to look on the bright side, there are a lot of advantages. There’s a freedom to being home that you don’t have in other work situations. There’s no frustrating commute, and you can spend your days with the person you love at your side. That’s a gift if you think about it. You can even pursue other interests that you have. For instance, if you enjoy cooking, or some other hobby, you have more freedom and time to that since you’re at home. See, it’s not so bad!
Tip #2. Keep Workspace and Home-Space Separate
It helps your mindset and productivity if you set up a designated place for work, and keep work in that space. If you are not careful, work can easily spill over into other areas of the home. Keeping it in one spot allows you to create good work routines and habits. When you’re in that area, you’re at work, and when you leave that area, you’re free to leave the stresses of work behind and you can enjoy your home as a home! Christina even recommends leaving your laptop at your desk so you’re not tempted to bring work “home.”
Tip #3. Enjoy Being Together
Being together every day is a privilege to be enjoyed. It’s good to take a moment to appreciate your partner and the time that you get to spend together. You get to be a part of their life every day, and you can learn more about them and understand them better. You have the privilege of eating lunch together, or even pausing work to give your significant other a squeeze! And if struggles come up during the workday, you can be there to support them, which can strengthen your relationship even more. It’s amazing, right?
Tip #4. Communication is Key
Be open and communicative with your partner as you co-work together at home. Let them know when you have a difficult meeting or project so that they can give you the space to work, or even the support you might need. If you can communicate and talk through things, your relationship and work-life at home will be a lot smoother!
Tip #5. Take Advantage of the Benefits of Working from Home
Some people believe that it’s not ideal to spend your days with your partner at home and that it can lead to stress in your relationship (but that’s some people haha). You can make it work though if you see your togetherness as an advantage rather than as a challenge!
You have the opportunity to take a break together, to have a hot drink or even a hug! The positives only start there. If you begin to think of working from home together as a good thing, we’re sure that you’ll discover many more advantages!
Final thoughts from Christina
Christina’s favorite thing about working from home together is being able to have lunch with her husband! She looks forward to the chance to step away from work and be with her husband and talk about anything but work. It’s an opportunity to catch up, recharge, and restart.
If you’re new to working at home, consider the many advantages that you enjoy that you didn’t before. If you’re willing to communicate and establish good habits, you can have a productive, satisfying experience working at home. There are certainly challenges involved, but with a positive attitude and your partner at your side, you may discover that working from home is the best work situation you’ve ever enjoyed!
Learn more from Christina here.
