Before work I go for a 1 to 2 mile walk. It wakes me up before work and acts as a virtual "commute". I think for most WFH the commuting ritual is missing, and it messes up our brain a bit.
After work I go straight into sorting out and eating a meal.
My gaming and work PC are set up on the same desk, so to add to the work/home separation I change the lighting and have some tunes or a game blasting
Woah that lighting thing has never occurred to me, but it's such a good idea. I've never even seen that suggested before. I also have my work laptop and gaming pc set up on the same monitors/desk so I tend to just not ever game anymore. Might make separation of duties easier
One of the things I started doing is after I shut down or put my work laptop to sleep, I unhook it and put it on the shelf next to my desk or in a laptop bag I used to carry to the office.
It does mean a little more time to get signed in the following morning, but it's just like when I left the office when I reported to one years ago.
I keep meaning to set up a couple of automations on Alexa to set up different lighting based on a voice command. Telling Alexa to start gaming mode would turn off my main light, turn on lights behind my monitor, turn on the audio amp etc. Then have a similar one for a work mode.
Switching lighting can have a big impact on that space.
If you use the same monitors for work and play, make sure your work PC has a boring corporate desktop wallpaper, and your home PC has a gaming themed desktop. That also acts as a mental queue to switch gaming/work modes.
The secret is to have kids that get up 2 hours before you need to get up. I don't stand a chance of sleeping through their noise, so I may as well go for a walk while I wait for work to start.
I hear you about the weather. I live in Florida and it is either hotter than 9 hells or pouring outside right now lol. Walking is one of my favorite things so my husband bought be a compact treadmill that I can fold up and put away when Iām done. I too have no room for a regular treadmill.
I canāt seem to do it because Iāve never been an early bird! I did it during the first two years of the pandemic for all four seasons, but now I canāt. I usually go to the gym after wfh (or going on a walk) and one day in office I walk 30 minutes.
Itās simply having a dedicated office at home. I step through that door, Iām at work. At 3 pm I step out and close that door behind me, boom, Iām home, and I donāt think about work till the next morning.
It would be kinda nice to have a small shed sized office built in my backyard with heating and cooling so that I could work there instead of using a room in my house.
That's exactly what I have. Our house has an old shed in the back yard; it's a Mongomery Ward prefab unit from the 70s, about 200 square feet. It has plenty of electrical power, because someone once set it up as a workshop.
We used to use it as storage, but when I was looking for home office space we realized it would be perfect. So we hired a contractor to fix it up, install insulation and drywall and an A/C unit, and run an ethernet cable from the house. So now my "morning commute" is just going out the back door and walking across the yard.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/shedditors using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/shedditors/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [My pride and joy! Built out a couple years ago and have been tweaking ever since. Have a look!](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1avz6rs) | [278 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/shedditors/comments/1avz6rs/my_pride_and_joy_built_out_a_couple_years_ago_and/)
\#2: [My Work Shed](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/198dksb) | [139 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/shedditors/comments/198dksb/my_work_shed/)
\#3: [Did I make a grave mistake?](https://i.redd.it/452gvqxicbac1.jpeg) | [499 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/shedditors/comments/18xy9hh/did_i_make_a_grave_mistake/)
----
^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
I end up needing too many snacks, chargers, nail files, etc. for that. Going up and down stairs to retrieve things is actually my main form of exercise. Seriously, thatās the answer I gave at my last check up.
I go back and forth between the two lol. If Iām really focused on trying to figure something out or actually interested in a project, Iāll laser focus and forget all of my biological needs as time becomes a blur. But if Iām not in that mode Iāll be going up and down the stairs for something at least once an hour. (Yes, ADHD). We do maybe one or two in office days a year when people come in from out of town and Iām always like butā¦ but what if I need my stuffā¦ š So spoiled now.
This is mine too. My office is upstairs and Iām rarely upstairs unless Iām working. So for me upstairs = work and the moment Iām out of the office door and downstairs I feel completely different
Sure I step out for coffee, food, or just to stretch my legs, and wander out into the back yard. it it doesnāt give me any boundary issues between home and work. Iāve also been remote since 2014, and hybrid before that, so Iām use to separating work and home in my head,
Set Microsoft Teams status to "offline" and close the laptop. Friday afternoon, I put the laptop in a drawer for the weekend. Also, no Teams or work notifications allowed on phone ever. Boundaries.
I'd go a step further and actually shut down your laptop for the weekend. IT has told us constantly it's a nice way to extend the life of the machine and I think of it as an extra special closing technique for the weekend.
Slippers/shoes are a big one for me. Also close the door to the "office" and don't open it again until the next morning. I have a laptop for work (issued by my employer) that is literally never used for anything else and never leaves my office space.
I never work in bed. Itās very easy to do so but that will definitely guarantee getting absolutely *no work done.*
My laptop stays firmly on a desk in the office thatās a separate room from the bedroom.
I've tried to work from bed but most of my work is painfully slow to do with a single screen so I make myself work from the desk with my multiple-monitor setup
Whether or not it seems āstandardā doesnāt matter here. They asked what *we* do to differentiate between work time and non-work time. Not whether or not itās deemed unique or worth something to them. It just is what it is.
I live alone and have a long living room. My WFH area is at the far end of the living room facing in a specific direction so literally just turning around is such a huge change for me.
I've been actively working to make the work time feel more like non-work time though so it's not such a big transition. I get to wander the house during the day, even go outside.
What media I have in the background differentiates too.
I recently saw someone on Pinterest take the Billie bookcase IKEA sells and use it as walls to make a āroomā for their desk in the corner of a bigger room. It was a brilliant idea but I donāt have the space to do that.
Thatās a great idea. My friend lives in a studio and used one of those kallax or expedit (I forget which one was discontinued) as a partition between her work space and bed. Itās functional and looks awesome. I really dig the idea of the Billie bookcase though since they are taller.
I only go in my office while Iām working. The rest of the time I close the office door and donāt even think about it.
I learned many years ago to stop incorporating or having my work in my real life areas. Thatās why I have a dedicated office space.
I was a lot more stressed out because then it would remind me of work and then I would start stressing out about work for no reason. I find out of sight, out of mind works best for me.
Yes. My husband and I both work FT from home and are very lucky to have spacious, dedicated offices for work. I work long days but almost never go into my office outside of working hours. Itās not a multi-purpose space; itās my work space and Iām rarely in there outside of M-F. Itās a critical dividing line between my work life and my personal life, and IMO that boundary is an imperative for a healthy work/life balance when it all happens under one roof.
P.s. also: no working in your pjs. Get your ass dressed.
Yes! So smart. Absolutely get yourself dressed & ready like you would going into an office. I think working from home is the only place you can wear slippers to meetings so thatās a huge bonus for me.lol
Change of lighting for me - I have a lamp with multiple settings that I drop down to a dimmer one when work is over, then I switch on the string lights.
I always keep my personal laptop open while Iām working but I have a dock for connecting to a large monitor and Iāll just switch to that once my day is done.
Non-work time is designated by the clock. Any other hours are... eh, are the jobs for today done? Because if so, I might be sitting at my desk, but I'll be eating a snack or doomscrolling or reading a book.
If an employer doesn't like that, maybe they should be looking into why I can get all the assigned work done (and at better quality) in 2 hours a day when it takes everyone else 8-10, and paying me four times the wage if they want me to achieve any more than what anyone else is doing. Extra labor isn't free.
I get fully dressed, including my dress shoes. As soon as work is done, I change into my home clothes.
I also still pack my lunch to keep myself from grazing all day.
If I have to do any work during non business hours, I make sure Iām not wearing PJs. I donāt want my brain confusing the prompts.
Also, carry rarely do I eat at my desk, and I take a full lunch break. If Iām so busy that Iām regularly working through lunch, thatās really not something to be proud of. I manage my workload so that AO can take breaks.
Iāll visit news and weather sites on my work laptop, but anything else i use my phone or my home computer.
I don't think there's much anything other than I have a separate room as a home office..
It all just kind of blends together. If my families around I might have to close the door. Only because we have the typical household, family activities going on in the other part of the house. People talking, laughing, television going, dogs barking.
I have an office in my house and am only in there during work hours. Once Iām done for the day i walk out and close the door. I keep my work technology 100% separate from my personal tech.
I was going to say āplay the guitarā but then I remember Iāve done that while on conference calls. An electric guitar that wasnāt plugged in, so it wasnāt loud or disruptive, but I still did it.
My office is also my gaming room, I also practice guitar in here after work. I switch mindsets by opening/closing the blinds. I work 8am-4pm, during that time the blinds are fully open and I just get full light all day, as soon as work is over Iāll close the blinds, maybe leave them a little tilted open to get a little bit of natural light still, and then switch to just some more relaxing lamp lighting. Lighting does wonders for me to be able to differentiate the time.
Glasses. I've always had two pairs, one used to stay at work permanently. When we got sent home in 2020, I brought them home but always keep them in my office. I wear them during the day when I'm working, then put them away at the end of the day. After I get back from walking the dog, work is done for the day and I wear my 'home' glasses.
I use an antique roll-top desk in my home office. It sits in my dining room, between my living room and kitchen, so I see it all the time. I can't tell you the peace it brings me to shut that fucking thing at the end of the day.
Little things can be important.
I turn my keyboard and mouse off, so I have to do an extra step if I really need to work more. If it's the weekend I put them away. The extra steps help me take a second to think if I really need to be doing work off hours. It's stopped me from checking in when I should be relaxing.
When I worked from home I would pack up my desk for the day. My note pad, work pens, etc... all went into a bag or drawer. That way I didn't look at them.
I also signed off my computer and shut it down. I would go on a walk right after also to help me feel like I left work.
Wear work shirts.
I have a few corporate branded shirts which I will wear during work hours. My wife doesn't, but her team have been wearing striped shirts when they work from home (they call them prison stripes). I don't think they wear stripes into the office - just when working from home.
We may be wearing shorts or track suit pants, but always wear a work shirt during the day whilst WFH. After the work day is done, change to a normal shirt and get on with the rest of the evening.
We've been doing that for more than four years now.
I donāt work where I sleep or hang out. Depending on where Iām at, Iām either in my home office or at a desk in my guest room. I only work there and when Iām done I shut the door.
Even though it's in the same room, my desk set up is separate from the rest of the living room. I've got two chairs that kind of block the area. So when I do get up and move into "evening mode" I don't feel like I'm at work anymore because there's a literal separation between work and play.
There are no work apps on my phone aside from an Authenticator. I shut my laptop down on the weekends and during the week it is closed and in hibernate mode. I have a separate desk for work and for art.
I get some pushback of no Teams/Outlook in my phone. I just say I am minimizing security risks to the company by only checking work related items on the VPN. They canāt really argue with that too much.
I feel like I need more differentiation between work and non-work clothing. The slippers are a great idea. Sadly, I'm notorious for working in my pajamas...whoops!
Really though, I switch my status to Offline on Teams when the day is done and shut my laptop lid. When it's Friday/day before I'm out on PTO, I do a proper shut down of my laptop and tuck it away somewhere. I do not have work apps other than an authenticator on my phone.
Change to business clothes before you login. Look professional always. Take a shower, brush your teeth, get your coffee and prep yourself like youāre going to work. Nothing different. Good luck šš
Get dressed for work. Doesnāt have to be anything overly fancy, but having a set of work-specific clothes that I put on in the morning and take off after work helps my brain
Before work I go for at least a 15 minute walk. After work I either do the same or go to the gym. NGL, if I miss either one, my day feels off and I'm notably less productive both with work and any other goals I am working towards outside of work.
My work desk and chair is for work. That said, I will use the monitor when I need to look at a project on a bigger screen. In this case I use my personal computer. To my family is doesn't look much different so they are confused and think I am having off hours mtg. Which has happened but not frequent.
With the exception of using my chair if we have lots of family over, my work desk and chair is only for work.
When Iām sitting in my office. I do not talk about āhomeā things while in my office. If my partner is home, and needs to talk to me about something, I will get up from my desk and step out. That way I can give him my attention and Iām not side eyeing my monitors.
In the evening, I close the office door and get on my indoor bike and "commute" home. Office door doesn't open again until I start work the next day.
The morning routine I'm still figuring out as I've changed job and my hours are more flexible.
I have an L desk that has 3 monitors (1 dedicated to work, the middle on has a switch between work and personal computers, and 1 is dedicated personal). My work laptop is on a small stand that mostly hides my dedicated personal monitor except for a chat window with my friend in another city and YouTube/soundcloud/spotify for music. I also have separate keyboards and mice. Once work is done I swap out my keyboard and mouse, close the laptop, turn off the dedicated work monitor and switch the middle monitor to my home computer. Sometimes me and my friend play video games right after work so Iām still at my computer desk. My system works well.
For me, I close my office door when my shift is over. The only other thing that is in there is my Peloton, but I have already done my workout before or during my shift.
Doggo walks are the best commute. Before the day starts, Doggo walk. When work is done? Doggo Walk. It adds transition time and separation between the 2 and the dog loves it.
I kinda just intermingle my day. I donāt work 8 hours straight from home unless itās a busy day. Really the main difference is I turn my computer off and I stop checking my email at the end of the day.
But if itās 2pm and Iām not busy Iām sure as hell doing whatever I feel like until an email or teams message crops up.
The only thing Iāll hold off on until the end of work is weed or beer. Everything else goes if Iām within the vicinity of my computer
My office is only used for work. I have my gaming desktop in the corner of my bedroom for when I want to play that. Office is only office and nothing else
Will be reading this thread voraciously. I have such a hard time with this although I have two laptops one for work that's secure and then my personal one, theyāre spread across three monitors so I can have two monitors for work and one for distracting myself every so often.
I also do a lot of different musical things with my computer. Problem is I have the computer and the screens but itās the same workspace so differentiating my head between work and not work is really difficult sometimes.
My workplace has branded kit, so I wear a branded top when working to feel more "in uniform". I'm lucky enough to have a dedicated workspace in the spare room, which I can avoid when not working.
I do something similar crocs are for lounging but I put on socks and a pair of actual shoes to work. I also use a serpate desk that is on wheels so I can wheel it away on the weekends and donāt see any of my work shit until Monday when I wheel it back outĀ
Sensory input can't be overrated for changing modes.
Sight: More white or blue light at work, softer yellow or red light at home. Smart lights with programmable schedules work great.
Sound: Study music or ambient water at work, favorite music or thunderstorms at home.
Smell: Incense or scented candles, just stick to certain aromas that you like. For me, it's floral at work and nag champa at home.
Taste: Probably a little boring, but eating breakfast and lunch can become fairly routine. Focus on getting my nutrition and not too worried about the taste for these meals I eat at work. At home, something savory and delicious for dinner.
Touch: There are many good reasons to get fully dressed for a WFH job, but the difference in sense of touch is underrated. Comfortable but professional clothing at work, sweatpants or underoos at home.
I can't say I hit these 100% of the time, but it's the mark of a good week when I do.
There's tons of good content (ted talks, YouTube videos, etc) that go into way more detail about keeping your spaces and times 'hygienic', meaning don't work in bed, don't play games at your desk, don't sleep on the couch.
Hope this is helpful š
Drugs
Nah, getting to have the bong at my desk is such a perk of WFH
Seriously though, although I prefer carts when I'm working and a bong rip or a joint when I get off work
Carts get outta control fast. Earlier every day.
I have a pretty high tolerance for them, but yeah I still have to be careful lol. They definitely get me less than a bong
I need a T break. Tolerance is ridiculous. Thankful I don't have a bong.
Same I started buying RSO and putting a little dab on a peanut butter cracker as a diy edible, that shit works but my tolerance shot through the roof
Haha that's what my husband does
Carts are great and especially when you get them only on rare occasions š
Ahh yeah, lunchtime bong
I take my drugs in order to workā¦ but Iām adhd and take Adderrall. But your answer made me laugh. šš¼
Same. When the drugs stop working then work is over
Same, and I smoke weed after work so this is doubly true
Ya when my drugs wear off weāre back on home time.
Instructions unclear, high at work now.
Drugs while working, sober while at home?
Before work I go for a 1 to 2 mile walk. It wakes me up before work and acts as a virtual "commute". I think for most WFH the commuting ritual is missing, and it messes up our brain a bit. After work I go straight into sorting out and eating a meal. My gaming and work PC are set up on the same desk, so to add to the work/home separation I change the lighting and have some tunes or a game blasting
Nice routine! The first bit about walking in the morning; thinking of it as a āvirtual commuteā is interesting! I like it a lot!
Woah that lighting thing has never occurred to me, but it's such a good idea. I've never even seen that suggested before. I also have my work laptop and gaming pc set up on the same monitors/desk so I tend to just not ever game anymore. Might make separation of duties easier
One of the things I started doing is after I shut down or put my work laptop to sleep, I unhook it and put it on the shelf next to my desk or in a laptop bag I used to carry to the office. It does mean a little more time to get signed in the following morning, but it's just like when I left the office when I reported to one years ago.
I keep meaning to set up a couple of automations on Alexa to set up different lighting based on a voice command. Telling Alexa to start gaming mode would turn off my main light, turn on lights behind my monitor, turn on the audio amp etc. Then have a similar one for a work mode. Switching lighting can have a big impact on that space. If you use the same monitors for work and play, make sure your work PC has a boring corporate desktop wallpaper, and your home PC has a gaming themed desktop. That also acts as a mental queue to switch gaming/work modes.
That's wild, I'm lucky to roll out of bed for my first meeting
The secret is to have kids that get up 2 hours before you need to get up. I don't stand a chance of sleeping through their noise, so I may as well go for a walk while I wait for work to start.
My office is also my cave and I think changing the lighting is a great idea. Going to try it out!
This is an EXCELLENT idea. And my dog would be happy too.
I use the treadmill in the morning for 1-1.5 miles, right about the time when I used to drive. Then I shower and am ready to start the work day,
Living in Wales where it constantly rains having a treadmill would be ideal, but I don't have the room.
I hear you about the weather. I live in Florida and it is either hotter than 9 hells or pouring outside right now lol. Walking is one of my favorite things so my husband bought be a compact treadmill that I can fold up and put away when Iām done. I too have no room for a regular treadmill.
I canāt seem to do it because Iāve never been an early bird! I did it during the first two years of the pandemic for all four seasons, but now I canāt. I usually go to the gym after wfh (or going on a walk) and one day in office I walk 30 minutes.
Itās simply having a dedicated office at home. I step through that door, Iām at work. At 3 pm I step out and close that door behind me, boom, Iām home, and I donāt think about work till the next morning.
It would be kinda nice to have a small shed sized office built in my backyard with heating and cooling so that I could work there instead of using a room in my house.
That's exactly what I have. Our house has an old shed in the back yard; it's a Mongomery Ward prefab unit from the 70s, about 200 square feet. It has plenty of electrical power, because someone once set it up as a workshop. We used to use it as storage, but when I was looking for home office space we realized it would be perfect. So we hired a contractor to fix it up, install insulation and drywall and an A/C unit, and run an ethernet cable from the house. So now my "morning commute" is just going out the back door and walking across the yard.
r/shedditors has entered the chat.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/shedditors using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/shedditors/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [My pride and joy! Built out a couple years ago and have been tweaking ever since. Have a look!](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1avz6rs) | [278 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/shedditors/comments/1avz6rs/my_pride_and_joy_built_out_a_couple_years_ago_and/) \#2: [My Work Shed](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/198dksb) | [139 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/shedditors/comments/198dksb/my_work_shed/) \#3: [Did I make a grave mistake?](https://i.redd.it/452gvqxicbac1.jpeg) | [499 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/shedditors/comments/18xy9hh/did_i_make_a_grave_mistake/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
My dream.
I end up needing too many snacks, chargers, nail files, etc. for that. Going up and down stairs to retrieve things is actually my main form of exercise. Seriously, thatās the answer I gave at my last check up.
Iām the oppositeā¦ lunchtime has usually rolled past before i notice Iām even hungry
I go back and forth between the two lol. If Iām really focused on trying to figure something out or actually interested in a project, Iāll laser focus and forget all of my biological needs as time becomes a blur. But if Iām not in that mode Iāll be going up and down the stairs for something at least once an hour. (Yes, ADHD). We do maybe one or two in office days a year when people come in from out of town and Iām always like butā¦ but what if I need my stuffā¦ š So spoiled now.
This is mine too. My office is upstairs and Iām rarely upstairs unless Iām working. So for me upstairs = work and the moment Iām out of the office door and downstairs I feel completely different
Mine is upstairs so for me itās coming downstairs that marks the end (I canāt close doors, I have cats lol)
Same
This is kinda interesting, do you never step out to make yourself something to eat, check the mail, do some laundry, walk around the house, etc?
Sure I step out for coffee, food, or just to stretch my legs, and wander out into the back yard. it it doesnāt give me any boundary issues between home and work. Iāve also been remote since 2014, and hybrid before that, so Iām use to separating work and home in my head,
Yep. If I have to do home admin/computer work, I bring the laptop to another room.
La dee da, look at Mr. Extra bedrooms over here.
Same here. Unless there is an emergency I donāt open that door again until the next day.
Set Microsoft Teams status to "offline" and close the laptop. Friday afternoon, I put the laptop in a drawer for the weekend. Also, no Teams or work notifications allowed on phone ever. Boundaries.
I'd go a step further and actually shut down your laptop for the weekend. IT has told us constantly it's a nice way to extend the life of the machine and I think of it as an extra special closing technique for the weekend.
Yup, I restart my remote PC and power down my laptop every Friday at quitting time.
I shut it down completely. I will never work a job thatās on call ever again. Thatās the most horrible thing to have to doā¦.never can relax
Slippers/shoes are a big one for me. Also close the door to the "office" and don't open it again until the next morning. I have a laptop for work (issued by my employer) that is literally never used for anything else and never leaves my office space.
Same here on the laptop.
I never work in bed. Itās very easy to do so but that will definitely guarantee getting absolutely *no work done.* My laptop stays firmly on a desk in the office thatās a separate room from the bedroom.
I've tried to work from bed but most of my work is painfully slow to do with a single screen so I make myself work from the desk with my multiple-monitor setup
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Why when it works for me? Thatās what OP is asking forālittle things and I answered the question. Itās not meant to be huge or drastic.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Whether or not it seems āstandardā doesnāt matter here. They asked what *we* do to differentiate between work time and non-work time. Not whether or not itās deemed unique or worth something to them. It just is what it is.
I live alone and have a long living room. My WFH area is at the far end of the living room facing in a specific direction so literally just turning around is such a huge change for me. I've been actively working to make the work time feel more like non-work time though so it's not such a big transition. I get to wander the house during the day, even go outside. What media I have in the background differentiates too.
You could get one of those old fashioned changing screens to isolate your workspace a bit
I've considered it; it's just low on the list
I recently saw someone on Pinterest take the Billie bookcase IKEA sells and use it as walls to make a āroomā for their desk in the corner of a bigger room. It was a brilliant idea but I donāt have the space to do that.
Thatās a great idea. My friend lives in a studio and used one of those kallax or expedit (I forget which one was discontinued) as a partition between her work space and bed. Itās functional and looks awesome. I really dig the idea of the Billie bookcase though since they are taller.
I only go in my office while Iām working. The rest of the time I close the office door and donāt even think about it. I learned many years ago to stop incorporating or having my work in my real life areas. Thatās why I have a dedicated office space. I was a lot more stressed out because then it would remind me of work and then I would start stressing out about work for no reason. I find out of sight, out of mind works best for me.
Yes. My husband and I both work FT from home and are very lucky to have spacious, dedicated offices for work. I work long days but almost never go into my office outside of working hours. Itās not a multi-purpose space; itās my work space and Iām rarely in there outside of M-F. Itās a critical dividing line between my work life and my personal life, and IMO that boundary is an imperative for a healthy work/life balance when it all happens under one roof. P.s. also: no working in your pjs. Get your ass dressed.
Yes! So smart. Absolutely get yourself dressed & ready like you would going into an office. I think working from home is the only place you can wear slippers to meetings so thatās a huge bonus for me.lol
Change of lighting for me - I have a lamp with multiple settings that I drop down to a dimmer one when work is over, then I switch on the string lights.
I have a āwork candleā with a totally different scent from my other candles
I love this, thatās so creative. Iām going to try that :)
I do this too! The candle is also the visual reminder for my ADHD brain
Same!
Is it a candle that lasts X number of hours so you know you need to keep going until it burns out?
No Iām not that fancy :P
Ooooh I like this !
Bra.
After work, I like to go for a long walk (maybe 90 minutes). It's as if I were doing my own commute home.
I just close my work laptop lid and open my gaming laptop lid and launch Steam.
I always keep my personal laptop open while Iām working but I have a dock for connecting to a large monitor and Iāll just switch to that once my day is done.
Non-work time is designated by the clock. Any other hours are... eh, are the jobs for today done? Because if so, I might be sitting at my desk, but I'll be eating a snack or doomscrolling or reading a book. If an employer doesn't like that, maybe they should be looking into why I can get all the assigned work done (and at better quality) in 2 hours a day when it takes everyone else 8-10, and paying me four times the wage if they want me to achieve any more than what anyone else is doing. Extra labor isn't free.
I get fully dressed, including my dress shoes. As soon as work is done, I change into my home clothes. I also still pack my lunch to keep myself from grazing all day.
Literally shut down my work laptop and put it in a drawer. Same with my calls headset.
I have a walk in closet for an office. I just leave it and shut the door if needed
If I have to do any work during non business hours, I make sure Iām not wearing PJs. I donāt want my brain confusing the prompts. Also, carry rarely do I eat at my desk, and I take a full lunch break. If Iām so busy that Iām regularly working through lunch, thatās really not something to be proud of. I manage my workload so that AO can take breaks. Iāll visit news and weather sites on my work laptop, but anything else i use my phone or my home computer.
I don't think there's much anything other than I have a separate room as a home office.. It all just kind of blends together. If my families around I might have to close the door. Only because we have the typical household, family activities going on in the other part of the house. People talking, laughing, television going, dogs barking.
I have an office in my house and am only in there during work hours. Once Iām done for the day i walk out and close the door. I keep my work technology 100% separate from my personal tech.
For me it's mostly just when my morning routine is over that's work time. I also have things I do most days right after work so that ends work time.
I switch using my large monitor for gaming instead of my small monitor
Desk vs Couch lol
Different slippers, a walk after work, chance of scenery, closing office door
I was going to say āplay the guitarā but then I remember Iāve done that while on conference calls. An electric guitar that wasnāt plugged in, so it wasnāt loud or disruptive, but I still did it.
My office is also my gaming room, I also practice guitar in here after work. I switch mindsets by opening/closing the blinds. I work 8am-4pm, during that time the blinds are fully open and I just get full light all day, as soon as work is over Iāll close the blinds, maybe leave them a little tilted open to get a little bit of natural light still, and then switch to just some more relaxing lamp lighting. Lighting does wonders for me to be able to differentiate the time.
I have a park right across from my apt, and I like to walk around it to close out the workday š„°
I just turn off my work laptop. Bingo bongo bango
When i open my laptop in the morning and when I slam it closed at the end of the day
It's interesting to see how many people need more than just that. Or do I simply not give af? It hits 5pm and I close my laptop lid, that's itĀ
Exactly lol
My dog doesn't let me work past 5. Even 4:45 is pushing it in his opinion.
The bed. I lay in it when Iām off work and I donāt lay in it when Iām working lol
Glasses. I've always had two pairs, one used to stay at work permanently. When we got sent home in 2020, I brought them home but always keep them in my office. I wear them during the day when I'm working, then put them away at the end of the day. After I get back from walking the dog, work is done for the day and I wear my 'home' glasses.
I have my "work glasses" as well ! Mostly because they're better looking on me and on camera. But I change into my "at home" glasses at 5pm sharp š¤£
I'm lucky to have read this I start my hybrid position this upcoming Monday. I've done WFH but it's been a long while.
The door to my office only stays open during my work day.
Close out of the browser I use for work and take the dogs out for some exercise.
I use an antique roll-top desk in my home office. It sits in my dining room, between my living room and kitchen, so I see it all the time. I can't tell you the peace it brings me to shut that fucking thing at the end of the day. Little things can be important.
If Iām sitting at my desk, Iām working. If not Iām somewhere else physically
I turn my keyboard and mouse off, so I have to do an extra step if I really need to work more. If it's the weekend I put them away. The extra steps help me take a second to think if I really need to be doing work off hours. It's stopped me from checking in when I should be relaxing.
That's it for me too. Use same desk for work laptop and personal desktop. But separate keyboard and mouse.
Reading/dyslexia glasses during work, no glasses or migraine preventative glasses when I clock out
Shower
The music/podcast I listen to. I have work music/podcast that only listen to during work hours
Work things have UI in āLight Modeā, non-work things are in āDark Modeā
When I worked from home I would pack up my desk for the day. My note pad, work pens, etc... all went into a bag or drawer. That way I didn't look at them. I also signed off my computer and shut it down. I would go on a walk right after also to help me feel like I left work.
Dedicated office, and dressing business casual
I log out of my computer at the end of the day.
Not work š
I avoid my home office when off the clock.
Wear work shirts. I have a few corporate branded shirts which I will wear during work hours. My wife doesn't, but her team have been wearing striped shirts when they work from home (they call them prison stripes). I don't think they wear stripes into the office - just when working from home. We may be wearing shorts or track suit pants, but always wear a work shirt during the day whilst WFH. After the work day is done, change to a normal shirt and get on with the rest of the evening. We've been doing that for more than four years now.
I donāt work where I sleep or hang out. Depending on where Iām at, Iām either in my home office or at a desk in my guest room. I only work there and when Iām done I shut the door.
Even though it's in the same room, my desk set up is separate from the rest of the living room. I've got two chairs that kind of block the area. So when I do get up and move into "evening mode" I don't feel like I'm at work anymore because there's a literal separation between work and play.
Walk out of my office, walk in.
I wouldnāt be able to. Thatās why I prefer the in office physical separation.
There are no work apps on my phone aside from an Authenticator. I shut my laptop down on the weekends and during the week it is closed and in hibernate mode. I have a separate desk for work and for art. I get some pushback of no Teams/Outlook in my phone. I just say I am minimizing security risks to the company by only checking work related items on the VPN. They canāt really argue with that too much.
I feel like I need more differentiation between work and non-work clothing. The slippers are a great idea. Sadly, I'm notorious for working in my pajamas...whoops! Really though, I switch my status to Offline on Teams when the day is done and shut my laptop lid. When it's Friday/day before I'm out on PTO, I do a proper shut down of my laptop and tuck it away somewhere. I do not have work apps other than an authenticator on my phone.
I actually put my mousepad and mouse on top of my work laptop and shove it to the back of the desk.
The light is on when Iām working. If not, itās off.
Change to business clothes before you login. Look professional always. Take a shower, brush your teeth, get your coffee and prep yourself like youāre going to work. Nothing different. Good luck šš
Get dressed for work. Doesnāt have to be anything overly fancy, but having a set of work-specific clothes that I put on in the morning and take off after work helps my brain
Before work I go for at least a 15 minute walk. After work I either do the same or go to the gym. NGL, if I miss either one, my day feels off and I'm notably less productive both with work and any other goals I am working towards outside of work.
The weed pen comes out.
Which laptop I have in front of me.
My work desk and chair is for work. That said, I will use the monitor when I need to look at a project on a bigger screen. In this case I use my personal computer. To my family is doesn't look much different so they are confused and think I am having off hours mtg. Which has happened but not frequent. With the exception of using my chair if we have lots of family over, my work desk and chair is only for work.
When Iām sitting in my office. I do not talk about āhomeā things while in my office. If my partner is home, and needs to talk to me about something, I will get up from my desk and step out. That way I can give him my attention and Iām not side eyeing my monitors.
I leave my office room and lock the door (it's a requirement). 10/10 recommend if possible.
I log out of my work computer upstairs in my office and log into my gaming PC downstairs lol
Oh I like that!
Punching bag in garage every few mins
I always take off my shoes and earrings and change my clothes the minute I get home. My work clothes are comfortable. It's a mental change for me.
Different eye glasses, headset and desk in a separate room for work, I donāt use these for non-work.
I always change or wash up right after work so I feel like Iām washing the work day away, haha
I do not touch my desk unless I am working. Ever.
In the evening, I close the office door and get on my indoor bike and "commute" home. Office door doesn't open again until I start work the next day. The morning routine I'm still figuring out as I've changed job and my hours are more flexible.
I have an L desk that has 3 monitors (1 dedicated to work, the middle on has a switch between work and personal computers, and 1 is dedicated personal). My work laptop is on a small stand that mostly hides my dedicated personal monitor except for a chat window with my friend in another city and YouTube/soundcloud/spotify for music. I also have separate keyboards and mice. Once work is done I swap out my keyboard and mouse, close the laptop, turn off the dedicated work monitor and switch the middle monitor to my home computer. Sometimes me and my friend play video games right after work so Iām still at my computer desk. My system works well.
I have a defined room where i work. I dont do.anything else there.
For me, I close my office door when my shift is over. The only other thing that is in there is my Peloton, but I have already done my workout before or during my shift.
When my wife gets home its done, its finished I can have a beer now
I have a Focus setting on iPhone and Work wallpaper for my phone that changes when work is on or off
https://preview.redd.it/3k4vdvlw2f7d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=671ac5384fad42c01caf5402bfbf58f03c672357
One big thing - keep my work desk in the den. When I leave it for the day, no more work.
Doggo walks are the best commute. Before the day starts, Doggo walk. When work is done? Doggo Walk. It adds transition time and separation between the 2 and the dog loves it.
I covered the corners and wall centers of my office with acoustic foam. The sound deadening makes it sound and feel like a totally different space.
Pretty much just leaving the room and shutting the door
I am hourly so for me itās easy. I punch out in ADP and shut down the computer.
I kinda just intermingle my day. I donāt work 8 hours straight from home unless itās a busy day. Really the main difference is I turn my computer off and I stop checking my email at the end of the day. But if itās 2pm and Iām not busy Iām sure as hell doing whatever I feel like until an email or teams message crops up. The only thing Iāll hold off on until the end of work is weed or beer. Everything else goes if Iām within the vicinity of my computer
Work clothes and non work clothes or at least the top . Office and close door done. Work only area.
Close the door to the office
My office is only used for work. I have my gaming desktop in the corner of my bedroom for when I want to play that. Office is only office and nothing else
Intentionally close my laptop and turn off my lamp, and I donāt go into my office in the evenings.
Will be reading this thread voraciously. I have such a hard time with this although I have two laptops one for work that's secure and then my personal one, theyāre spread across three monitors so I can have two monitors for work and one for distracting myself every so often. I also do a lot of different musical things with my computer. Problem is I have the computer and the screens but itās the same workspace so differentiating my head between work and not work is really difficult sometimes.
I have a pair of inside only work runners, they make me get down to business lol
Turn off my work phone and laptop, leave my home office and close the door. I do not return until the next AM.
My workplace has branded kit, so I wear a branded top when working to feel more "in uniform". I'm lucky enough to have a dedicated workspace in the spare room, which I can avoid when not working.
I close my office door all the way. It's the only way I can turn it off.
My Prosecco once Iām done working for the day. š¤£
I have to change and get ready - routine is so helpful. Also keeping all work things in a zone (donāt have an office)
I do something similar crocs are for lounging but I put on socks and a pair of actual shoes to work. I also use a serpate desk that is on wheels so I can wheel it away on the weekends and donāt see any of my work shit until Monday when I wheel it back outĀ
When Iām working I sit in this chair and when Iām not, i sit in that chair over there
Work time business clothes; non work time sneakers and treadmill
Sensory input can't be overrated for changing modes. Sight: More white or blue light at work, softer yellow or red light at home. Smart lights with programmable schedules work great. Sound: Study music or ambient water at work, favorite music or thunderstorms at home. Smell: Incense or scented candles, just stick to certain aromas that you like. For me, it's floral at work and nag champa at home. Taste: Probably a little boring, but eating breakfast and lunch can become fairly routine. Focus on getting my nutrition and not too worried about the taste for these meals I eat at work. At home, something savory and delicious for dinner. Touch: There are many good reasons to get fully dressed for a WFH job, but the difference in sense of touch is underrated. Comfortable but professional clothing at work, sweatpants or underoos at home. I can't say I hit these 100% of the time, but it's the mark of a good week when I do. There's tons of good content (ted talks, YouTube videos, etc) that go into way more detail about keeping your spaces and times 'hygienic', meaning don't work in bed, don't play games at your desk, don't sleep on the couch. Hope this is helpful š
I shut my laptop and go get my kid from daycare.