I think that learning to manage your time effectively is the true sign of adulthood and maturity. The younger I was, the more scatterbrained I was, and the more I procrastinated on things. I still do it from time to time, but I’m getting better.

Time management skills are especially essential for anyone who works from home. There are so many distractions in the home- kids, TV, food, pets- the list goes on. When you work a normal 9-5 in an office or other workspace, you just get up, go to work, get the work done, and come home. For work-from-homers, there are no designated work spaces or work times. You have to create them yourself. For tips on becoming better at managing your time, check out this post by Celestine Chua at Lifehack:

-Create a plan for each day the night before

-Set time limits for tasks

-Use a planner, calendar, or phone app to plan and mark your deadlines clearly

-Know when to say “no”. (In my experience, there are some people who think that working from home= unemployed with endless free time. They try to make plans with you during work hours. While you can be more flexible, no one wants to catch up on work they missed at 1 am).

-Focus on one thing at a time- close all apps and tabs that are not directly related to what you’re working on. Turn off your phone if you can.

Photo Credit: Daniel Novta