How to Keep Work From Spilling Out of Your Home Office

Working from home has its pros. Having your office or workshop across the hall or in your garage means no commute. You’re able to switch between commitments and responsibilities with ease. Maybe even do a chore or two. And best of all: your kitchen is right there.

Home-based work can also mean 12-hour shifts, work following you around the house, and never fully clocking out. In this blog, I give you five tips to help keep work from spilling out of your home office.

Tip #1: Set Your Space Up for Success

If you work from home, try to keep all work-related items contained in one place. Having your business spread out in different rooms risks being constantly reminded of your task list or may tempt you to pull out your laptop during family movie night.

*My Creative Space* by Donald Rattner is a fantastic read I highly recommend. It’s about environmental psychology related to creativity. Don’t worry, it’s not a textbook and there are a lot of pretty pictures!

One point Rattner brings up is working without a specific office space. Your kitchen table is a perfectly good place to work, but can make separating your desk and dinner table even harder. In this case, try to change the appearance of the space’s “work mode.”

He advises setting up small objects that inspire or bring joy along with your “tools.” Once work is done, put it all away and redesign the space to its usual state.

Tip #2: Set Your Hours and Stick to Them

“I quit my 9-5 and started my own business. Now I work 24/7” is not a joke; it can be a reality for most entrepreneurs.

Having your office/workshop in your home makes it easy to start and stop work as well as work longer days. What’s an extra hour every day this week to work on a client’s project? That’s five lost hours of rest, spending time with your kids, learning that instrument, or enjoying your hobby.

Set work hours that fit your schedule and benefit you the most, then stick with them. Click out of all 82 browser windows and power down. Don’t take calls or answer emails outside of those hours—that’s your time.

Be strict even with your lunch break. No matter what kind of day you’re having, try and set aside a one-hour break in the middle of the day to eat mindfully and reset.

It may feel more productive to power through, but days, weeks, and months of pushing yourself accumulate. Something I heard this year that stuck with me was this: “Pick when you rest, or your body will pick it for you.”

Tip #3: Have Your Next Task Lined Up

We don’t always have to give this tip conscious thought. Whether we want it or not, we usually have a list of non-work related to do’s waiting for us when we clock out, especially if you’re a parent.

Remind yourself of those other important tasks that are waiting for your attention so you have yet another reason to log off promptly.

Your next agenda item may be getting dinner started, taking a hot bath, FaceTiming your sister, or enjoying a date with the couch and the next episode of your latest favorite TV show. Yes, it’s okay (and encouraged) if your end of day task is self care! Whatever it is, remind yourself of your plans and move on to it when your office hours are up.

Tip #4: Have a Reset Activity

Clicking out of your work email and Adobe Illustrator, and opening Netflix or social media means still being on your laptop—maybe in the same seat too.

Have a “reset task” signaling work is over and you’re moving on to the next part of your day/evening. Sitting on your porch for fifteen minutes, taking a quick shower, picking up your guitar, going for a walk, or even taking a quick drive are great tasks that get you up and away from your workspace, and engage your senses in a new way.

If you can, try not to touch your laptop/desktop at all outside of work hours. Be mindful of how you use your phone as well. It’s easy to shut your laptop and still check emails on your phone. If you have an iPhone, you can set daily time limit on your apps. I recommend putting a time limit on your email account, so after work hours, your email is “off.”

Tip #5: Don’t Let Business Take up All Your Conversations

Our businesses are a big part of our life. They’re our passion projects; our “baby.” We want to share our wins and worries, get advice, or even just vent.

But if work takes up all our conversations, we don’t ever really clock out. We’re still problem-solving, looking for ideas, and asking for insight. None of these things are wrong to do, but take a step back and observe how often these goals seem to motivate conversation or leisure time.

Have quality conversations with friends, family, and/or your significant other. Let yourself check out and enjoy your time off. I promise when you let yourself relax and think about other things, you’ll come back to your desk with new ideas and solutions.

I hope these tips help you separate work and life in your home. It’s always easier said than done, but I challenge you to focus on at least one of these tips this week. See if it brings more quality to your life and helps you be more present with others and yourself.

Remember, there’s always work to do and memories to be made. Which one means more to you?