9 Working From Home Tips From Freelancers

As a freelance journalist, I’ve worked from home regularly for a few years. But what was once a set-up my friends envied is now a reality for a lot of us, as zoom calls, pyjama bottoms and 8.59am rises have become the new norm. As great as it can be, working from home isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be – and trying to keep motivated can be tricky. So, I’ve roped in a few of my fellow freelance beauty editors to share their best working from home tips to help you stay sane and productive during this un-settling time.

“I always try and get up at the same time every day. Maybe I’ll do a quick at home workout, maybe I won’t but I always put my leggings and a hoodie on and then walk the dog. I shower when I get back and then have breakfast so I’m at my desk for around 9.30. If it is more like 10, that’s fine too as when I was on a mag you go to so many launches and breakfast meetings that that’s often when the day in front of your desk starts.” – Becci Vallis, Freelance Beauty and Lifestyle Journalist (@becsville)

“Get showered and “dressed” first thing. When I say dressed, these days this can totally be loungewear… just don’t stay in your PJs. It helps set the tone for my day and when I don’t do this I’m definitely less productive. Even better if you can fit a workout in before your shower!” – Amy Lawrenson, Freelance Beauty Editor (@amy_lawrenson)

“Some people think I’m crazy, but I always make sure I get up and do my hair and makeup before I start the day – as if I was going into the office still. I don’t have to wear a lot, but by making myself look presentable, I feel better and way more productive.” – Chloe Burcham, Freelance Beauty Editor (@chloeburcham)

“One of the most productive habits I’ve got into is writing my to-do list in the evening for the next day when my head is still in work mode. This means that when I wake up, my day is already laid out and I’m not overwhelmed or unsure of where to start” – Jessica Harris, Freelance Beauty Writer and blogger at TwentySixStyle.com (@jessicasharris_ )

“Make a to-do list. Just being in the house means you can quickly become the Queen of procrastination. Sometimes I’ll find myself flicking through recipes for lunch or dinner so by having a list it gives me clear, precise goals and there’s nothing like that feeling of drawing a line through something you’ve completed.” – Becci

“I use Asana (which is free) to create to-do lists for every day of the week and I colour code them so whether it’s work, life admin, chores, meetings, etc. As a freelancer every day and week is different and there are often lots of different clients to juggle, so this helps keep me organised.” – Amy  

“I use google calendar to schedule in meetings (via zoom calls!) lunch breaks, exercise time (via live instagram classes!) and other activities through the day. This way, it helps me keep on track of my day, and gives me time slots to work by. It also helps to stop the days just rolling into one – jogging your memory if you forget what day you did what.” – Chloe  

“It’s important to try and make time for a proper ‘lunch break’ – and take a full hour if you can. It’s tempting to just sit at your desk and power through (especially if you’ve had an unproductive morning) but by getting up and giving yourself a break, helps to re-focus your mind when you do get back to it. “ – Chloe

“It’s really easy to eat lunch in front of your computer but it’s a really bad habit to get into so I try and avoid it. The same goes for never ending social media scrolling.” – Becci

“Invest in some good coffee – or tea. Pre-Corona, I often went to the local coffee shop with the dog and worked out of there as again, it gave me structure and it was nice to see familiar faces. Without that, the coffee I’m drinking has become even more important (I’m a coffee snob so forgive me). I’ve recently subscribed to Halo and Grind who send out pods either weekly or monthly and it still works out at a third of the price if I were to have one out so I’m giving myself that treat!” – Becci

“When you’re working from home, you kind of have to forget the 9-5 rule a bit. Sometimes you’ll finish early and other times you’ll finish late – and that’s okay. When I first became freelance (and started working from home full time) I’d really beat myself up if I wasn’t sat trying to work until 5.30pm. When you’re feeling unmotivated, no matter how long you sit there, simply sitting and hoping the motivation comes doesn’t really work. Take the time off and add some more on to the next day, or later that evening when your mojo comes back.” – Chloe

“Have a set space for working. Set up a desk area at home, even if this is at your dining table, and go there to work. I clock on at 11am, work until 3pm, then have a break and clock on and off again between 3:30pm and 7pm. I’ve been scheduling Houseparty meet-ups with friends and a glass of wine from 7-8pm to force me to stop working. Then, after that, I’ll have dinner and chill.” – Amy

“Finally, I always try and make dinner from scratch. When you’ve been sitting at your desk all day sometimes you can’t be bothered to cook but for me it’s a wind down period – plus I love food! The last thing I’d want is something super speedy as it’s then all too tempting to log back on again. Even if you do have to work in the evenings that time spent cooking means you’ll have easily given yourself an hour or two break.” – Becci