Work From Home Essentials

A huge thanks to Macy’s and ShopStyle for sponsoring today’s post.

I’ve been working from home since before I even went full-time with Oh So Glam — it’s been about 9 years. While most of the perks are wonderful, it definitely takes some getting used to and requires a ton of discipline, organization, and a little outside help. Working from home has since become the norm and it seems more and more people are getting the option to either work at home full-time or at least part of the week!

I’m sharing some of my best kept secrets and a few of my favorite products that help me get the job done from Macy’s — one of my favorite places to shop! Not only is Macy’s one of my favorite destinations for loungewear and cozy throws to keep at my desk — they also now sell Google Home and Nest Smart Home products (which you could totally add to your registries, too)!

Here are 5 of my favorite tips to help me work at home:

Develop a morning routine and stick to it. I think this has been one of the most helpful pieces of advice I have ever been given. It’s easy (and tempting) to just roll out of bed in the morning and jump right to your computer when you’re working from home — especially when you know there’s a mound of unanswered emails and a to-do list a mile long. A couple of years ago, I started taking time in the morning to just do MORNING THINGS and it’s been a game changer. I wake up, make the bed (always important), wash my face and brush my teeth, change out of my PJs into something a little more loungey, and sit and have my morning coffee in the little corner in our kitchen that gets the best morning sunlight. I usually allow myself to sit here for 15-20 minutes — Raj and I will hang out for a few and catch up. It’s so peaceful and gives me a moment to reflect before starting my day.

Hire an assistant. Okay, not a real-life assistant… a Google assistant! I was recently sent the Google Home Smart Speaker with a built in Google Assistant, and oh man, I just love her. I set her up on my office desk and she’s there to remind me of my schedule (she’s synced to my calendar), I can set myself reminders that she’ll read back to me, and I can ask her just about any question and she immediately has the answer! I keep this one in my office and we have the larger one downstairs in our living room!

Dress the part. I think getting dressed has one of the biggest impacts on my day. Even if it’s just into some cozy loungewear — it helps me feel put-together. Macy’s has the best selection of loungewear and cozy layers!

Add some background noise. What I missed most about working from an office is background noise. I know that probably sounds crazy, but sometimes silence is too quiet. Unless I’m doing a ton of writing (like I am for this blog post), I like our house to feel lively. I use the Google Home Speaker to play some of my favorite playlists from Spotify (I have it synced to my premium account), and I’m easily able to say, “Hey Google, play my “work” playlist” and it goes right on! Nothing like a little low-key music for daytime and a full out dance party at night!

Limit outside distractions. A few years ago, we added a few Nest cameras to our outside entryways. Not only does it help keep an eye on the house when we’re away, it’s also super helpful for during the day when we’re both home. Between the daily deliveries and neighbor/road noise — it’s so easy to become distracted. I would hear something and constantly get up to make sure it wasn’t someone at the door! We both have the Nest app, and we’re able to take a quick peek at any current activity going on around the house. It’s also an amazing way to ensure items for our jobs are delivered — we can see them and run out to get them, or have someone grab them if we’re traveling!

Don’t forget — you can now shop for Google Home and Nest Smart Home products right at Macy’s! You can even add them to your Macy’s Wedding Registry — they make the perfect gift!