I’ve been working from home (WFH) since 2020, and here’s what I can say about it. Working from home is both convenient and challenging.
Convenient? YES! There’s no commute. You can go straight to your desk in pajamas after waking up.
Challenging? I can tell you a lot. My struggles with working from home will give you a clear picture of why it can be tough. Let me share them with you, along with the solutions I’ve created to turn those struggles into strengths.
Before we get into the details, I should mention that I work from home as a blogger. I build my online business from home, although I also work from different coffee shops.
Here are my struggles with working from coffee shops and the fixes.
From these places, I create content about travel, spirituality, and online business. These are topics I use to connect with people who share the same interests. You can learn more about me here.
With this in mind, most of the solutions I’m offering in this post are best suited for a specific group of people. Generally, they work for people who have complete control over their schedule. They are also a good fit for those who do the same kind of work I do. Are you one of us? Great, this post is perfect for you. If not, don’t worry, most of my solutions will still work for you.
Keep reading to make working from home more productive and rewarding.
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Blurred Separation Between Work and Rest
Would you agree? The convenience of working from home can also be the very thing that makes it hard to get things done.
Like, imagine the call of your bed that’s only beside your desk. It’s hard to resist, especially when it’s cuddle weather.
The temptation to nap is strong, especially when your back starts aching from sitting too long. It’s almost like you can hear your bed whispering, “Hey, come here! I’m soft. I’m comfy. Why not lay your back for a couple of minutes?”
To be honest, I used to give in right away. Without a boss watching me or strict deadlines to follow, it was easy to say, “I’ll finish this later.” Then the next thing I know, it’s 5 p.m., and I’ve spent the whole afternoon sleeping. My productivity? Gone.
These days, I still get tempted, but not as much. Switching to a loft bed and making my bed less accessible helped.
But if there’s something that solved my situation, they’re the following. First, I set up a workspace in another part of the house. Second, I work where the sunlight hits me. Third, I drink coffee.
Tricking my mind that my bed is far away and making myself feel more awake made a huge difference.
If that doesn’t work for you, there’s actually a better way. Give yourself a deadline and commit to it like your life depends on it. That sense of urgency can help you stay focused. It’ll help you ignore other temptations around you too.
To me, it works. Although, staying committed to yourself can be challenging at times. Even I struggle with it a lot.
My fix? I imagine how my future self would be so grateful to my present self for not being so lazy.
Yes, it’s about mindset and discipline, which, if you improve today, can help you solve a lot more problems in your life.
Nature is Your Friend and Enemy
When I get hit with writer’s block while working from home, I head to the nearest vacant subdivision. That’s where I follow the advice of great writers to remove the block: to take a walk and spend time in nature.
I’m never surprised by how well it works, but I’m always amazed. It’s like my brain’s word factory switches back on the moment I do it.
From what I’ve experienced, nature does most of the work in making it happen, at least for me. A short gaze at the trees or mountains is enough to clear my head and get the words flowing to my fingertips.
I’m always convinced that nature is a true friend for people like me. Although, not all the time. Sometimes, nature can be a distraction when working from home.
How? Let me tell you my story.
Before we installed screens on our windows, the “forces” of nature used to invade our house. Armies of mosquitoes would enter every afternoon. And for whatever bugging reason they had, I was their favorite target.
One bite and my concentration was gone.
Two bites? I get super annoyed.
Three? I could no longer think of any more ideas except ways to kill the mosquitoes feasting on my elbow skin!
LOL. It’s true!
My point is, home isn’t always the perfect place to work. If you want to work from home most of the time, you need to make your workspace work-suitable first. Yep, comfortable.
Think about the climate, your location, and even the sunlight in your space. Without adapting right, staying productive will be tough.
For example, if you live in a tropical country like I do, you will want to install an air conditioner. Otherwise, it can feel like you’re living in a sauna.
Good luck creating content or analyzing financial reports in those conditions. Half the time you will be trying to focus, and the other half you will be wiping away sweat. You wouldn’t like that!
Distraction, Interruption, Disruption!
Distractions are the biggest challenge when working from home. They’re so obvious you might think there’s no point talking about them. But since they have a huge negative impact on productivity, I can’t skip this topic.
To tell you the truth, this is the most challenging part of working from home for me. Whether it’s the jokes on TV or kids running around with Nerf guns, distractions come in all shapes and sizes. There’s no escaping distractions at home.
I’m not exaggerating when I say some distractions at home are driving me nuts!
You know, we have neighbors who love to sing. Every week, their karaoke sessions interrupt everything.
I’d enjoy it if they were good, but they’re not. One of them sings out of tune for hours, and I have no idea why no one in her family tells her the truth! I’d love to say something, but I don’t want to start any neighborhood drama. (We all try to avoid that)
Now, you might think noise-canceling earphones are the solution for all these distractions. I thought so too. But actually, they only solve half the problem. Let’s not forget other distractions and interruptions. Errands, unexpected visitors, or even our cute little furry friends at home. Meow!
So what’s the solution?
It’s simple: time management. Although, this might only work for people with flexible working hours.
Pay attention to when distractions hit hardest. Avoid working during those times.
Save your most important, focus-heavy tasks for the quiet hours. For example, writing, planning, or analyzing. Then do easier stuff when distractions are higher. And if things get too noisy or overwhelming, take a break to clear your head and recharge.
For me, this has been the best way to handle distractions so far.
Fewer and Fewer IRL Friends
When I decided that I’d be blogging full-time, I already knew that I’d have fewer friends in real life. Not only because I’d have no workmates, but building a blog or an online business is something only a few can relate to. That’s particularly true if you’re from a third world country like mine, the Philippines.
Still, I can’t deny that I’m craving new friends. I’ve even looked through LinkedIn and X for potential connections. I found a few, but unfortunately, they live far away on different islands. So a regular kind of friendship just isn’t practical for us.
That said, I cannot deny the fact that I’m longing for new friends. In fact, I’ve already scoured LinkedIn and X potential friends. I found a few, but unfortunately, they live islands away. A normal kind of friendship is impractical for us.
Working from home and having not much contact with people only made me a little more pessimistic.
If you’re going through the same thing, this is a WFH issue you shouldn’t overlook. If it’s left unchecked, it can hurt your mental health and affect how well you work.
In my case, there were already times when loneliness affected my mood.
It makes me sad and makes me wonder what if I did not become a content creator. It also makes me think about everything that I missed those years I spent building my business.
Every time I am feeling lonely, I cannot create content the way I should.
Like, when the blog post I should write must have a positive tone, it becomes a little dramatic instead. Other times, I can’t create anything at all. My mind goes blank, and I find myself scrolling X or watching YouTube to forget the loneliness.
I’ve thought of several ways to fix this. I considered going to the gym to find a buddy or joining a local badminton club to make friends. Even using dating apps to find company—that I’ve considered as well!
In fact, I’ve tried so many. But all these only bring me back to my first point. There’s no one who can understand where I’m coming from or what I’m passionate about. Building an online business. Living without regrets. Following my purpose.
Most of the people I met care only about politics, life as usual, and trending TikTok videos. There’s nothing wrong with those. But I can’t see the point of building relationships with people on a different wavelength. I’d only feel more out of place if I forced myself to be with them.
What works for me so far in this loneliness WFH problem is going to church. It gives me a sense of belonging. I like how attending mass makes me feel that I’m never alone in facing the challenges of life.
And the teachings of Christ? They help me understand how the world works and how to deal with people. That’s very important in building a business. Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection are a reminder of the importance of challenges and suffering to achieve success.
Going to church never fails to give me strength to carry on. It’s always an incredible experience.
Final Thoughts
Working from home comes with many challenges. When we simplify the solutions, we find four essential values. They are growth mindset, discipline, proactiveness, and faith. The surprising fact? It is these values that form the formula for success.
These four values are also what help me get work done without a proper workspace. Read my blog post about my struggles with building a creator business. I also share the solutions that changed everything.
Alright! Thank you for reading.
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