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Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

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Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#241

Post by folkrav »

fokinsean wrote: post #228
igetspam wrote: post #76

Dedicate a work space and stay far away from it, when you're not working. Maybe get a large whiteboard to hide it from your field of vision when not working (bonus: whiteboard!). Separating work from personal is the most critical part of being able to work from home without always being "at work." I'm lucky enough to have been remote for years, so COVID hasn't changed my pattern but I know the pattern can be hard. Al…

This is my hardest thing to do. My gaming setup is the same as my work desk. This usually results in me gaming less during the week, but some days I have literally spent 12+ hours at my desk.

I have two partitions for this very reason. One partition has all my development stuff, including work tools, second partition is on Windows and doesn't have anything remotely work related on it.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#242

Post by theandrewbailey »

fokinsean wrote: post #228
igetspam wrote: post #76

Dedicate a work space and stay far away from it, when you're not working. Maybe get a large whiteboard to hide it from your field of vision when not working (bonus: whiteboard!). Separating work from personal is the most critical part of being able to work from home without always being "at work." I'm lucky enough to have been remote for years, so COVID hasn't changed my pattern but I know the pattern can be hard. Al…

This is my hardest thing to do. My gaming setup is the same as my work desk. This usually results in me gaming less during the week, but some days I have literally spent 12+ hours at my desk.

That was my de facto setup for the occasional (once a month or less) remote work. When lockdown happened, within a week, sitting in the same spot all day started feeling bad. I realized that I moved into a house last year with spare bedrooms, so I got my work stuff up there (picked up peripherals from the office) along with a table from the basement, just so I could sit in different places throughout the day.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#243

Post by alistairSH »

IceDane wrote: post #208
ShakataGaNai wrote: post #206

Give CGPGrey's "Lockdown Productivity: Spaceship You" a watch -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snAhsXyO3Ck In large majority it's about making dedicated spaces, which can be hard in a small space. But you can at least make dedicate mindsets spaces. Ex: I do these 5 things to prepare my desk for work at the start of the day, and I do these 5 things to clean up my desk at the end of the work day. These can be routine…

Why do you put shoes on when working at home? Do you wear shoes in the house while you work?

Why? It's a mental trick to help separate work from home. Work = shoes; home = slippers (or barefoot).

Obv doesn't work if you're a "no shoes in the house" person (we are, I go barefoot or slippered at home). But, putting on "dress" clothes, or your work badge, or other things can do the same thing.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#244

Post by aprdm »

I bought a desktop for gaming and have my macbook laptop as well.

What I am doing is only work from the desktop (since I ended up not gaming haha), when work is done I turn it off.

I don't have any work things in macbook. Not even work email logged in. Work is literally turned it off when my desktop powers off.

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#245

Post by alistairSH »

Joke answer: Get a dog!

My little dog is the worst/best boss. He yells at me when it's time to start the work day (he sits on the bed behind me like the lazy freeloader he is). He yells again at lunch (he needs to pee) and at 5pm (he needs to pee again). The only problem is he doesn't understand Saturday, so like clockwork, 8am Sat morning, yap yap yap, go to work.

Real answer: Get up and walk away.

If the apartment is small, walk down the hall or around the block. You need an actual mental break from work. Once the walk is done DO NOT START WORK AGAIN.

I find I actually have a better balance WFH, as now I don't work past 5, I just get up and walk away (unless there's something that's actually critical).

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#246

Post by 52-6F-62 »

I'm also in a 1BR apartment with my partner. I have a desk in the corner (having previously done some WFH when needed) and my partner works on the dining table.

I personally don't follow any of the "back to the routine" habits or any special apps or anything.

I sometimes need to work a little later to finish a specific task, but otherwise when 5 o'clock rolls around that's it.

5PM, I get up and start dinner. I break for lunch around noon or 1PM—I don't stress about that. I am the regular reminder for my partner that she needs to take a break.

It's something I learned a long time ago: if you just keep working nobody will really stop you (save for a kind boss or coworker).

What may help as much as any "hacks" or whatever else is being sold is to give yourself things to look forward to after work. I often give myself something small—even if it's just playing a game or working on some music or something. My time is mine and I'm excited to get back to it.

Do you have a fixed work station or do you migrate around a lot?

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#248

Post by fokinsean »

folkrav wrote: post #241
fokinsean wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is my hardest thing to do. My gaming setup is the same as my work desk. This usually results in me gaming less during the week, but some days I have literally spent 12+ hours at my desk.

I have two partitions for this very reason. One partition has all my development stuff, including work tools, second partition is on Windows and doesn't have anything remotely work related on it.

I was referring to physical space. I work on a macbook, game on windows, but I'm still sitting in the same chair for either task :)

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#249

Post by sixdimensional »

varispeed wrote: post #137
kissgyorgy wrote: post #94

This trick might sound strange, but it worked well for me: Just dress the same in the morning as you would if you would go into the office, and at the end of the day, take off the work clothes and dress as you would normally at home. Some makes this even further and go out for a walk around the block so they "arrive at the office" and walk again at the end of the day to "walk home". Really sounds strange and funny, b…

I have a lab coat with my name and company on it and I put it on in the morning and take it off after I close all work apps. Neat trick.

Doctor, doctor!

Re: Ask HN: How do you switch off from work, particularly when working from home?

#250

Post by sixdimensional »

alistairSH wrote: post #245

Joke answer: Get a dog! My little dog is the worst/best boss. He yells at me when it's time to start the work day (he sits on the bed behind me like the lazy freeloader he is). He yells again at lunch (he needs to pee) and at 5pm (he needs to pee again). The only problem is he doesn't understand Saturday, so like clockwork, 8am Sat morning, yap yap yap, go to work. Real answer: Get up and walk away. If the apartment…

The dog thing works for me! Uhoh, I'm being told to stop slacking off on Hacker News and give treats. XD
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