Whether your transitioning from working in a traditional office space, or working from home part time as you grow your YouTube channel, working from home can be challenging to adapt to. Today I’m joined with my business manager, Catherine who will be speaking to some of the challenges she has faced in her transition from working in a small business, to working from her apartment! We’ll also share some practical ways to avoid feeling isolated, stay motivated, and most importantly, enjoying the freedom of working remotely!

BACKGROUND

Both Catherine and I grew up homeschooled so we had a bit of an advantage working at home comparatively, but after starting to work in the business world, Catherine really enjoyed things like:

  1. Working on a Team
  2. Separating Work and Home Life between Locations
  3. Structure and Consistency

Those were some of the major things she missed transitioning to working from home.

On the other hand, I enjoyed the freedom of being my own boss, working at home with my family, and being able to work as much or as little as I wanted. However, even with that freedom, I faced challenges with

  1. Setting and meeting deadlines for work
  2. Overworking outside of traditional “business hours”
  3. Setting priorities

PROBLEMS

And these are the things we hear so often from people also going through this transition. You may also be working through other changes, and we’d love to hear from you about them in the comments below so definitely let us know so we can help other people going through the same! Things like, overeating, under-eating, oversleeping, not sleeping enough, and more are all the challenges of the solo-entrepreneur.

WAYS TO HELP

1. Budget, Make a Calendar, Set Alarms and Notifications
This is especially helpful if you find yourself UNDER-working. As in, your lacking motivation to get going each day, or stay working throughout the day. Create systems to hold yourself accountable and feel a sense of accomplishment.

2. Plan your work around your life as much as you can
If you find yourself overworking, spending less time doing the things you enjoy, or even missing out on things you want to do, REMEMBER, one of the greatest perks of working remotely is flexibility. You can make your own schedule. Let it work for you!

3. GET OUT – Capitalize on the Uniqueness of Your Position
Go to a coffee shop, work with friends, try co-op spaces or rent your own office space! Separating work life from home life can have huge benefits both for your time, family life, and productivity.

4. Treat Yo Self – Create Incentives, Rewards, and Perks
I like to start with my least favorite work first and slowly work towards things I enjoy. That way I always have something to look forward to throughout the day. Even budgeting for a trip or equipment, or maybe even a treat will help you work hard and stay motivated.

LITTLE TRICKS

I asked Catherine what other tips or tricks she had and here’s what she added:

“I like to have background noise, talking, or music. Sometimes playing a Netflix series in the background helps keep me motivated. Personal favorite = Parks and Recreation.”

I really like playing music while I work, either some instrumental focus music, or something fun and upbeat when I’m feeling creative. That really helps me.

Even things like being on Social Media, interacting with your audience, or talking with your community can be a huge help when you feel down or alone.

Overall, we enjoy working remotely, and while there are benefits to it, these trips help adapting, staying productive and keeping your business and channel performing well. We’d love to hear from you in the comments below, let us know what you think! Have you tried any of these tips? Have they worked for you? What else has worked? And as always, thank you so much for being part of the Video Creators Community!

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