Wearing: c/o Leimere Nantucket Set (wearing a size medium!)

Ahh.. Monday. Sleep until 8:59 AM. Roll out of bed to join your 9 AM conference call in your pajamas. Curl up on the couch with your laptop, in your pajamas. Watch unlimited Netflix documentaries. 5 o’clock hits, order pizza & crack a beer.

HAHA – just kidding! To me, that sounds more like a Saturday than a Monday. After starting my career in consulting almost 8 years ago, I feel like I’ve mastered how to WFH. Especially in the consulting industry, I need to be available for my clients 24/7 which means I’m “always” working. That expectation allows much more of a flexible schedule, letting me be more efficient with my time. I actually prefer working from home because I get more done & I can do what I want to & need to on my own schedule. Read on to share my tips & tricks on mastering the WFH lifestyle!

Wake up early. Even though I don’t need to be out the door at 7 AM to avoid morning traffic, I still like to get up with the rest of them. On my best days, I wake up at 6 AM & open my computer first thing (after I brush my teeth & all that jazz) to check my emails. It allows me to respond to anything urgent while mentally prepare for what’s on today’s agenda. That gives me almost 2-3 hours to get other ish done until I start my work day around 9 or 10 AM.

Work-out. Especially since I’m home all day, I need to get out & move. I prefer to work-out in the mornings for 30-45 minutes – a Classpass class, a 3-mile run, or weights at the gym. If I don’t have time to work-out, I still force myself to take a walk & listen to a podcast (click here for my favorite podcasts). If you don’t make a conscious effort to get out of the house, you can easily blink & it’s 5 PM.

Find your favorite coffee shops. I prefer a change of scenery, so there are a handful of coffee shops downtown that I rotate throughout the week. I bring my rose gold headphones, order a large coffee, & zone out for a few hours. I also love going to my local library if I’m not in the coffee shop mood.

Always be on. I am always available, no matter what. If your boss is kind enough to let you WFH, be careful to not break the rules & take advantage of this perk. If I’m home, my laptop is always next to me. If I’m out, my phone is always with me. I definitely “clock-out” come 6 PM, but I want my coworkers and clients to know they can easily reach me.

Connect with others. I have a few girlfriends who also WFH, so we plan day dates & meet at the library or a coffee shop to tackle work together.

Go to networking events. It’s easy to feel alone when you’re not in an office chatting with your coworkers, so every few weeks I browse Eventbrite for local networking events. Raleigh is pretty great as they have a Creative Mornings event every month, where creative folks just like me get together to chat, connect, & learn.

Work from anywhere. The great thing about working remote is that you are not tied to a desk or an office, giving you the luxury of working from… anywhere! Last year, I traveled to Europe for a 3-week vacation without having to take PTO. How’d I swing that, you  ask? I worked while I was there. More importantly, I worked my normal business hours (PST) even though Europe was 9 hours ahead. It wasn’t ideal, but I still got to explore France while getting paid.

A lot of people ask me how I was able to find a job that lets me work from home & to be honest, it’s hard to give you a straight answer. It’s acceptable in the consulting field, but I do believe more companies are becoming more OK with it now. I started my career going into the office 5 days a week. Over the years (& as I became more of a reputable employee), I started to make my own schedule which has now led me here: WFH life 5x a week. If it’s an option you want to pursue, I’d suggest talking to your boss to see if it’s a possibility. They may not be on board with every day, but they make an exception on slow days, like Fridays. Explain why it would benefit you AND them. Sell yourself! You need to show them you are just as committed, driven, & responsible even if you are not face to face 8 hours a day.

I hope these tips help. If you have any secrets to mastering WFH life, please share! & you can shop my comfy cashmere set below.