Question for those that home office.

[April20]

Do you get dressed for that day as though you were leaving? Certainly not dressed as you would to go into an office, but do you put "real clothes" on (i.e. jeans, nice shirt, etc)?

I just recently started exclusively home officing. With the exception of days that I get called into the office for an hour or so (maybe twice a month) and when I travel, I''m at home. In my yoga pants. I''m not a big morning person and I find myself sleeping until the last possible second and then throwing on some house clothes and getting to work more than I would like. Here it is 630 at night and I''ve just gotten out of the shower and gotten dressed to go out. I did purposely plan to shower this evening rather than this morning so I could treadmill this afternoon.

I was just thinking that I have got to get myself into a better routine. Get up, treadmill in the morning and then get dressed for the day and work. I''m also thinking that I need to start planning to leave the house once or twice a week during the day. I''m getting a little stir crazy just leaving to go to the grocery store.

That makes me ask an additional question- for those of you that are home all day, do you plan times you go out? How often? Do you find it helps your sanity and productivity?

 

[AprilBaby]

My hubby doesn''t feel productive unless he dresses for work. Then at the end of the day he dresses back down. Weird to me.

 

[zhuzhu]

My DH works from home. He dresses for comfort 100%.... No ironing and fancy laundry for us, I can''t complaint!

 

[niccia]

Hi April,

I know exactly how you feel. I work from home also, and therefore I tend to sleep in later than I normally would (although I am still up by 5:30) and most of the time I work in my pjs or sweatpants, no make-up, hair a mess lol. I love working from home, but I do feel somewhat lazy and lethargic by day''s end when I haven''t been outside at all. I have started going into the office a couple times a week again just to see people and feel less hermit-like. Even though I am more productive at home probably. Setting up a schedule where you get up/go out for a coffee/exercise is a really good idea and I think I will have to start doing that too.

 

[neatfreak]

I make it a point of getting up, having breakfast, and getting dressed. I usually wear jeans and a tee or something but simply the act of getting out of my PJ''s helps me a lot.

I also do tend to get out of the house during the week. Sometimes I work at a coffee shop, sometimes I go into my office on campus, and sometimes I just go to Target!

 

[April20]

Date: 3/4/2009 7:35:45 PM
Author: niccia
Hi April,

I know exactly how you feel. I work from home also, and therefore I tend to sleep in later than I normally would (although I am still up by 5:30) and most of the time I work in my pjs or sweatpants, no make-up, hair a mess lol. I love working from home, but I do feel somewhat lazy and lethargic by day''s end when I haven''t been outside at all. I have started going into the office a couple times a week again just to see people and feel less hermit-like. Even though I am more productive at home probably. Setting up a schedule where you get up/go out for a coffee/exercise is a really good idea and I think I will have to start doing that too.

I wish I had an option to go into the office and work occassionally, but there isn''t even a desk I can use there! It''s kind of crazy to me actually.
I have another co-worker in the same position I am that home offices across town. We try and meet for lunch every other week or so, but with travel schedules, that sometimes gets difficult. Our other co-worker lives in another state, so needless to say, we don''t see her too much.

I like the idea of working from a coffee shop occassionally. I could rock that for sure.

 

[Miscka]

Ooohhh great question! I just started home officing (LOL) as well! And I am just like you re: morning person. However I also don''t want to be in my pjs all day! That would be kind of depressing. What I have done and liked is sleep as late as possible, and then jump in the shower. Then I start working while my hair is drying, in my robe. When my hair dries, I put on "real" clothes (jeans, etc). Then when I get ready to leave the house, or around lunch, whichever comes first, I put on makeup, fix hair, etc. This way I feel like I get the best of both worlds. I sleep later and get to take advantage of WFH but I also am dressed and presentable by mid-day so I don''t feel like a slob. hth!

 

[KimberlyH]

My husband works from home, he gets dressed first thing every morning.

I was a student not too long ago, working on my master''s, and I typically threw on a pair of sweats or comfy shorts and a tee or sweatshirt if I was going to be home and working on school all day.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Mark works from home 3 out of 5 days.

On his home offices days, we''ve bought a lot of comfortable clothing...like sweats, and hoodies, and flannel pants. He''s of the mind frame that "why bother"? He''s home, there is no need to get dressed up when you have nowhere go. He doesn''t have the luxury of working from a coffee shop...so on his 3 days, hes completely homebound, he might as well be comfy.

 

[Girlrocks]

I work from home, and have found that I have to follow this routine every morning: Get up, get in shower, get dressed, make beds, get kids dressed/fed/off to school, then go to work. If I don''t, then I am thrown off for the entire day. Now what I wear-usually jeans/long sleeve top or sweater, sometimes a sweatsuit but I can''t work when I am all shlumpy and unkept, I guess it''s a psycological thing for me.

 

[tlh]

My Dh works from home.. and he is often topless, and in gym shorts, as he likes to do laundry, vacuum, do dishes, and workout while his reports are being processed. I love it!

 

[Gypsy]

I work from home only once a week. But I spend the whole day in PJ''s. I do leave the bed and go in another room. But... that''s about it.

 

[April20]

I got up this morning, did a conf call, did the treadmill for 50 mins (stopped to take a call midway thru) and then showered and got dressed. In real clothes.

I have to go get my puplet from the groomer, which is why I put on more than yoga pants. Can''t say I feel any better in what I have on than when I have on yoga pants.

 

[oobiecoo]

I don''t really work at a job but I am a student who works at home alot. Three days a week I don''t have class but have to work nearly all day on drafting or building digital models so I will wake up, eat, shower, and just put on VERY casual clothes and begin working. I feel gross or not "in" to my work if I don''t shower or anything first.

 

[April20]

Date: 3/5/2009 3:03:41 PM
Author: oobiecoo
I don''t really work at a job but I am a student who works at home alot. Three days a week I don''t have class but have to work nearly all day on drafting or building digital models so I will wake up, eat, shower, and just put on VERY casual clothes and begin working. I feel gross or not ''in'' to my work if I don''t shower or anything first.

What are you studying? The first six years of my career were spent drafting retail architectural projects until I moved over into a project management role. I haven''t used drafting very much in the last few years. I tried to draft a simple floor plan sketch the other day and it took me a ridiculous amount of time.

 

[kcoursolle]

I''m finishing up a Ph.D. and own a small business, so not quite the same as those who home office, but I thought I would comment as many days I work from home.

I go into my office (at school) about 2-3 times a week. On days when I don''t go in, here is my routine:

8:30am - get up (I''m not much of a morning person, but I like to get up at a decent hour)
-then I cook breakfast for myself and relax for a few moments

9:30am - read email and answer anything left from yesterday

10am - start working

12:30 or so (sometimes a bit later) - at this point during the day I actually feel like taking a break, now is the time I shower and get dressed. For whatever reason I usually do this around lunch rather than morning. During this time I eat, shower, and get dressed. I don''t put on business clothes, but usually a bit more dressed up than sweats, jeans and a tee, that sort of thing.

1:30 of so - go back to work

5-7pm (depending on the day) - end work and depending on what''s going on with DH cook dinner or go for a run.



I definitely get a little stir crazy, but not as bad since I go in a couple of days a week. If I''m feeling particularly stir crazy, but don''t want to go to the office often I''ll work from a coffee shop for an hour or two or run an errand mid-day.

 

[oobiecoo]

Date: 3/5/2009 3:22:11 PM
Author: April20

Date: 3/5/2009 3:03:41 PM

Author: oobiecoo

I don''t really work at a job but I am a student who works at home alot. Three days a week I don''t have class but have to work nearly all day on drafting or building digital models so I will wake up, eat, shower, and just put on VERY casual clothes and begin working. I feel gross or not ''in'' to my work if I don''t shower or anything first.

What are you studying? The first six years of my career were spent drafting retail architectural projects until I moved over into a project management role. I haven''t used drafting very much in the last few years. I tried to draft a simple floor plan sketch the other day and it took me a ridiculous amount of time.

I''m in an Interior Design program with a technology minor. Right now I''m working on building a 41,000 sq ft gourmet grocery store

 

[sammyj]

I work from home a couple of days a week. I don''t really have a regimen but I do find that I am more productive and alert after I''ve showered and dressed. Often I''ll act like I''m getting ready to leave the house but just end up staying home. I don''t buy work clothes that aren''t comfy (and what I do doesn''t require true business attire) so getting dressed doesn''t mean I get into my sweats and yoga pants.

 

[misskitty]

I''m another grad student who works from home a lot. I get dressed, but not nearly as nicely as I would for going in to the office - usually jeans and a sweater, and no shoes (I do NOT miss wearing heels to the office!).

I also make it a point to get up and have coffee and breakfast every day. Helps keep a routine, even if there''s no commute.

 

[April20]

Date: 3/5/2009 3:57:39 PM
Author: oobiecoo

Date: 3/5/2009 3:22:11 PM
Author: April20

Date: 3/5/2009 3:03:41 PM

Author: oobiecoo

I don''t really work at a job but I am a student who works at home alot. Three days a week I don''t have class but have to work nearly all day on drafting or building digital models so I will wake up, eat, shower, and just put on VERY casual clothes and begin working. I feel gross or not ''in'' to my work if I don''t shower or anything first.

What are you studying? The first six years of my career were spent drafting retail architectural projects until I moved over into a project management role. I haven''t used drafting very much in the last few years. I tried to draft a simple floor plan sketch the other day and it took me a ridiculous amount of time.

I''m in an Interior Design program with a technology minor. Right now I''m working on building a 41,000 sq ft gourmet grocery store

I have the opposite- a technology degree with a design minor!

I moved out of straight retail (thanks to the economic downturn) but still do "retail", only it''s retail within healthcare facilities. Not nearly as exciting as gourmet grocery stores sound to me right now.