I’ve been self-employed for around two and a half years now and it’s definitely been a learning curve. I thrive off routine, provided it’s not too structured. I’ve tried time-blocking in 15-minute increments and that was far too restrictive. Instead, I’ve found having a rough outline of what I’ll be doing each day works better for me. That being said, my daily work-from-home routine is fairly similar. Let’s take a closer look.
AT-DESK PRE-WORK ROUTINE
Once my morning routine is complete, I start on my at-desk pre-work routine. You know, that first half an hour or so where you get set up for the day. Because I write my to-do list for the following day the night before, this routine has slimmed down massively. No longer do I spend 20 minutes thinking about what I have to do that day.
The first thing I do every morning is open up my emails and check Asana. Sometimes, an email will have come in with a new task so I add that to my Asana. I’m transitioning over to Notion but I like the layout of Asana for client tasks right now.
I’ll double-check my to-do list and Asana to make sure they’re in sync. Whilst I like digital planning, a paper to-do list is easier for me to look at during the day.
I’m usually sat at my desk by 9 so this takes me until 9.30.
FIRST WORKING TIME-BLOCK
I have my morning time block from 9.30 to 12 with a break around 10.30ish. Two and a half hours is more than enough for me to get started and complete a client or personal blog post. I definitely feel more productive in the morning so I try to get the main tasks done then.
This is when my to-do list comes in handy as I try to avoid my emails and social media. I’ve been using Toggl to track my time lately. You wouldn’t believe how much quicker you work when there’s a timer going! It’s particularly helpful so I can work out my hourly rate with every client as I tend to charge per word (bad, I know). I have a spreadsheet with each blog post, how long it took to write, the word count, and the price charged.
Client work consists of blog post writing. This varies from client to client though. Some provide a detailed brief, others just provide a top keyword. Recently, I’ve trialled creating my own briefs by doing research on a Monday morning so I can just write for the rest of the week.
If I’m working on personal blog posts for the day, the content calendar is already set up so I know what I’ll be writing about. Ideally, I’ll write my three blog posts for the week in one day. But that doesn’t always work, such as if I’ve got a theatre review to write.
BREAK TIME
I could lie and say my breaks are for exercising and fresh air. However, I tend to just pick up my phone to scroll on Instagram. I’m trying to be better and at least move away from my desk, refill my water bottle, and maybe do some housework. It really just depends on the day of my daily work-from-home routine! Whilst I don’t time myself, my breaks are usually around ten to fifteen minutes. I’ve found that’s a nice amount of time to get away from the screens but not too long that I can’t be bothered to return to my desk!
DINNERTIME
After completing the second half of my first working time-block, it’s time for dinner/lunch. I tend to have leftovers from the night before or I’ll just make a sandwich/toastie. This is also my first meal of the day because I intermittent-fast between 8 pm and 12 pm the next day. It’s controversial but it works for me. I’ve never been a breakfast girlie anyway so that window is ideal for me.
During dinner, I usually catch up on an episode of something on the Sky+ box (currently, it’s Chicago Fire, The Rookie, or Law & Order SVU). I’ll limit myself to just one or two episodes. Otherwise, I won’t move off the sofa until teatime. I also try to use Duolingo for about ten minutes and again, have a little scroll on Instagram.
I never eat dinner at my desk unless I’m on a co-working call but I do sit on the sofa instead. We’ve never really been an ‘eat at the kitchen table’ kind of family so that’s carried over to adulthood!
SECOND WORKING TIME-BLOCK
Now it’s time to get back to work between 1 and 2. Some days, I’ll take an extra long lunch if I’ve worked hard in the morning. It’s one of the many perks of freelancing!
The first part of my afternoon tends to be fairly productive. I’m feeling relaxed after filling my stomach so I’m ready to get stuff done. More writing happens and that’s about it!
However, after my afternoon break around 3.30, I’m ready to wind down. No longer do I have the 9-5 mindset, provided I get my to-do list done. I’ve never really been a late afternoon worker so my brain has already switched off. If I have to push through to get a blog post completed, I will. If I need to start a new blog post, it can wait until tomorrow morning.
POST-WORK ROUTINE
After my 3.30 break, I’ll start winding down. Sometimes, I get a second wind and end up writing a personal blog post after a client day. On other days, I’ll do some content planning for my own websites. This is when I stick on YouTube for less brain-powered work. I’ll catch up on my favourite creators’ videos and wind down for the day.
Before I shut off my computer, I write tomorrow’s to-do list, double-check Asana, and have a final check of my inbox. My evening routine starts then!
When I’m done at my desk, I give it a quick tidy. This is another hack I’ve developed to be more productive in the morning. I now get to sit at a clean desk as soon as I start my day. Before, I’d spend ten minutes tidying before I started my work day, losing my most productive time!
With all of that, this is my daily work-from-home routine. I’d say I stick to it 80% of the time. Of course, it changes when I work in a coffee shop once a fortnight or have less/more work on. Sometimes, I work from the sofa or shock horror, have a day off! I never force myself to work if my brain isn’t in it. I’d rather ask for a deadline extension for an extra day or two than turn in shoddy work. However, my daily work-from-home routine is what I’ve really tried to focus on since lockdown.
If you work from home, are you all about routine and structure? Or do you prefer to just do what feels right on the day? Leave me a comment below or send me a DM on Instagram or Twitter. I love being nosey and reading about other people’s routines!
