Working from home can have it’s advantages, but it also comes with interruptions – interruptions from a dog that needs to go out, a neighbor across the street blasting music or doing yardwork that is so noisy you can’t hear yourself talk, phone calls that aren’t work related, or a loved one needing something from you at the very moment you are talking on the phone to a client.
Yes, I am speaking from personal experience.
If you are one of the ones that are still currently working, there is a chance that you may be working from home. With children not in school or home from college, interruptions will happen.
You will feel frustrated and yes, you are completely normal to feel this way.
Working from home for ten years now, adjustments had to be made to accomodate whatever else was going on in our life. When my husband was suffering from a ruptured disc almost three years ago now, he was home and needed assistance because his right side became paralyzed. When this was going on, work had to be done either first thing in the morning or late into the night. Calls had to be made when he was resting.
Was it perfect? Not in a longshot!
There was a time when my best work was done before 10:00 am. Now, my best time to get things accomplished is between 10 am and 1:00 pm.
There was a time when I could work straight through lunch time and it not affect me – this isn’t so today.
There was a time when blog posts and social media would all get set up at night – today, my energy level just stops after 8:00 pm.
Today, I set a timer for 50 minutes and devote that time to work. After the 50 minutes, I take a 10 minute break and then do it again. This has worked well for me and allows me to get what needs to get done while at the same time, making sure to take breaks to eat and take care of myself .
When my children were young and would take a nap, I would set a timer for 15 minutes and devote that time to working. I wasn’t working from home at that time, but calls dealing with insurance, bills, or other matters were able to get done because time was scheduled and devoted to getting those chores done.
Some people do better scheduling their next day’s routine while others do just fine just winging it. I’ve seen some people do it both ways and both ways are equally productive depending on the person.
You may be wondering – why is your work routine vital to your health?
Working, whether it is from home or an office, is good for our overall well being. Not only does it help to sustain us financially, it also contributes to happiness, confidence, and self-esteem. This is one of the reasons that after an injury or illness, it’s important to get back to that work routine for your health.
Unfortunately, there are also those who have lost a job and are currently actively looking. To help you take the best possible care of your health and well being, having a regularly scheduled routine for looking for a job would be helpful.
You may find that it’s best to do send out resumes in the morning.
You may find that it’s best to look at who is hiring at night.
When it happens isn’t as important as making it happen at a time of the day that works best for you.
As Horace Mann states, “Habits are like a cable. We weave a strand of it each day and soon it cannot be broken.”
Your work – Your health – Your life are worth having the best of you.
Keeping a routine or schedule for everything including the work you do will not only produce the best in you, but give your family the best of you too.
Terri Trepanier is the owner of Balanced Care Health and Supplemental Insurance and a licensed insurance consultant and broker with Associated Brokers. Licensed in both Maine and NH, her specialty is working with small businesses, individuals, and families with their health and life insurance needs. She is certified to offer health plans both on and off the exchange and is contracted with every health insurance company that offers plans in both New Hampshire and Maine. Her other passion is assisting Medicare beneficiaries with their Medicare Supplemental, Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans, and Medicare Advantage plans. Terri has seen firsthand the importance of insurancCare is to “Insure Security and Peace of Mind One Family at a Time”.