Here's Everything You Need To Know About How To Correctly Work From Home From Someone Who Used To Be A Cube Monkey
I may be one of the few cases here at Barstool. I'm someone who spent 8 years in the cubes at all different sorts of jobs. I was a legit cube monkey just making calls. I worked in my own office without ever having to make a call. And now for the last 2 years, I've worked from home and this beautiful company called Barstool Sports. I've transitioned from having to slap on a polo shirt and khakis each day to now having to remember how many times I've worn my favorite hoodie.
So as everyone else at this company has different experiences. Some have been blogging their entire lives - someone like Keith who has been at this for 10 years. KFC was in the cube, but has been out for so long. Some of the new guys are so young they don't know what it's like to deal with the same bullshit small talk while trying to just get a cup of water.
With that in mind, I wanted to put some tips out there for the cube monkeys of the world that are about to start the work from home life. We'll cover everything as I've done this solo, I've done it with my wife working from home and I've done it with having both my wife and kid at home. Three WILDLY different experiences in the work from home life. Obviously everyone is a bit different, but as someone who has done this now for 2 straight years, here's how I operate.
Wear whatever the hell you want
This might be the most debated work from home thing. Do you still get dressed like you're going to work or wear whatever you want? For me, it's sweats and a hoodie - which, I know in the Barstool office is common too - at all times. Fuck putting on pants where I have to wear a belt. You know why? Because you have to work. Do whatever makes your ass comfortable as you sit there and type, call, email, whatever. If you feel like you can get stuff done while wearing a stained hoodie and sweats for the 3rd day in a row so be it. If you 'feel the need' to get dressed up, well, I don't understand that one at all.
Don't work in your bed
This is the one MUST that you really need to do. Get out of bed, at least go sit on the couch or something. But working from bed just opens up the door to sleeping way too much. Don't be the person that actually falls asleep at 2pm because you're all comfy. Plus, at least for me, there's something comforting and beautiful about crashing into my bed at night to go to sleep.
If you live with a significant other, work in a completely different room
I can't stress this one enough. I know it might be difficult if you're in NYC where it costs roughly $700,000 a month for a studio apartment that 3 people share. But if you are in a multi room house/apartment, get the hell somewhere else. You don't want to be sitting there staring at your significant other getting stuck with some small talk as you're trying to work. Use talking to them as a 10 minute break or whatever. Treat them like a co-worker you dealt with in the office. You don't want to be around them all the time, just trust me on this one.
You're going to want to eat everything in your house, don't do that
Maybe it's just me, but I've also had people tell me this. You're going to wander into the kitchen and see snacks and different food items to eat. You're going to want to graze snack all day. Don't do that. That's how you get fat. Honestly just try to stick to your normal eating like you're in an office. One of the toughest thing to do, but the toughest is ...
As the clip says, don't spend all day masturbating
This goes for everyone. You're home all day in your comfy clothes with a computer right in front of you. Do you know how *ahem* hard it is not to start watching porn and masturbate. Do it to start the day, do it during your lunch break, whatever. Just don't jerk off all day.
Don't set an alarm
Wake up naturally. A little game I like to play each morning called 'oh shit what time is it.' But there's something beautiful about not hearing buzzing going off to wake your ass up. Trust me, you'll wake up on time. You don't need to go anywhere more than 100 feet to start work. It takes 30 seconds. You get a little extra pep in your step waking up naturally.
At 5pm, close the laptop and go somewhere else
If you work a normal cube job that shuts down at 5pm, do that. Shut the laptop (unless you're going to masturbate) and go somewhere else. Go to a different room. Play video games. Go shower. Talk to your significant other. Walk the dog. Do literally anything else. Treat it like the true end of the work day. Think about how quick you rush out of your shitty office, do the same at home.
Read Barstool Sports
You're doing that already, but we have 100 people here to make you laugh and keep your mind off of shit. We'll keep doing that because that's our job.
Got anymore tips, did I forget one, got questions about a new work from home dad? Shoot them over to me on Twitter @barstoolreags and let's get through this shit.