5 New Year’s Resolutions for Remote Workers
By: Barbara A. Scott
Tags: Work From Home, New Years Resolutions, Remote Working

Are you a remote worker? Whether you operate your own business from home or are a remote worker — your life can no doubt be hectic. For that reason, there may be a lot that you want or need to do, while facing many distractions and competing priorities.

As with per usual, the New Year is the perfect time to set and achieve your goals. So, if you haven’t made a New Year’s resolution yet, here are a few you can commit to now if you are a remote worker or will be as a result of the current Covid-19 pandemic.

1 — Create a Home Office

Many home based workers work right from their couch or their kitchen table. While this can work, it is better to develop a workspace for yourself. If you have a spare bedroom, transform that into your home office. Keep the spare bed in the room should family visit, but add a computer, desk, office chair, phone, and so forth. If you are limited on space, you need to think outside of the box. Do you have a walk in closet that you rarely use? Install a good light and transform it into your home office.

When you have a home office, which is a private secluded place that you can truly focus, you are likely to improve your productivity.

2 — Create a legitimate Home Office Space

When given the opportunity, a home based worker should have a home office. This being a room with a functioning door. Whether you need to be on video conferences with clients or have a quiet environment to work in, a separate room is needed. Of course, you may not have a spare bedroom or even a walk-in closet to transform. If not, make a home office space.

A home office space is similar to an office room. In most cases, you are just lacking the door. Depending on how you currently work-from-home, this may involve a few purchases. Do you have a laptop computer, but no desk? Buy one or Christmas is right around the corner — add some office necessities to your list.

Instead of clearing your workstation each night for dinner, leave your work on your desk. This saves time and prevents the need to re-establish your work environment on a daily basis. Even if you must position that desk in the corner of your living room, bedroom, or kitchen, you still have a space that you can call your own.

3 — Look for Other Moneymaking Opportunities

As previously stated, home based workers come in a number of different formats. Regardless of whether you work for yourself or for someone else, always be on the lookout for other moneymaking opportunities. Seven streams of income make millionaires and with today’s economy, there are no guarantees. People who believed they had a secure job are now finding themselves in the unemployment line. Just because you work from home, it does not mean that it can’t happen to you. So, secure your financial future.

In terms of examining other moneymaking opportunities, always think outside of the box. Do you do customer service work from home? Consider putting your skills to use by writing reviews for companies, starting your own website or blog, and so forth. Do you do web content writing from home? In addition to writing for clients, write for yourself.

4 — Create a Schedule for Housework

Working from home is nice, but it presents many challenges. Those who work outside of the home don’t have to worry about that sink full of dishes, but you do because you will see it every time you turn around. All home based workers should have a separate schedule for housework so it does not impact their work at home. If you do not have one, make it your New Year’s resolution. Creating cleaner delineation between ‘work and home’ and even side-hustles helps you stay focused, balanced and dedicated.

5 — Give Your Family More Time

Most start working from home to spend more time with family, but it doesn’t always workout as planned. Some are so amazed to see how easy it is to make money online that they don’t want to stop, but you should. If you have a problem with working too much, use your New Year’s resolution to put a stop to it. Shut your computer off by a set time each day. Unplugging from time to time can be a real game changer.

No matter your situation, a positive and productive plan now, will help cement your success in the future.

How do you cope with working from home? I would love to know.