One Space, One Rule

The Problem I Noticed

I worked both in office and from home. Something weird happened - I worked way more hours at home than at the office. This didn't make sense to me.

At the office, I'd finish work at 6 PM and go home. At home, I'd work until 10 PM or even midnight. Why?

I Started Tracking My Day

For one week, I wrote down everything I did and where I did it.

Here's what I found:

• Morning: Work on dining table

• Afternoon: Move to couch with laptop

• Evening: Work from bedroom

• Night: Back to living room

The Real Problem

By evening, I was confused. Is my couch for work or for watching TV? Is my dining table for eating or for Zoom calls?

My brain couldn't tell the difference between work time and personal time. Everything mixed together.

What I Learned

When you use the same space for work AND fun, your brain gets mixed up.

Think about it:

• You play games on your couch at night

• You also take work calls on the same couch

• Your brain doesn't know: "Am I working or relaxing?"

This is why it's hard to stop working when you work from everywhere in your house.

My Simple Solution: One Space, One Use

I made one rule: Each space in my house has only one job.

• Office corner = Work only

• Couch = TV and relaxing only

• Dining table = Eating only

• Bedroom = Sleeping only

What Changed

After just one week:

• I could focus better at work

• I could actually relax when work was done

• I stopped working late nights

• My brain knew when work ended

How to Do This (Even in Small Spaces)

Don't have a separate room for work? No problem:

1. Pick one corner or chair for work only

2. When work is done, leave that spot

3. Use a lamp or something to mark your "work zone"

4. Never do personal stuff in your work spot

Living in a tiny apartment? Try this:

• Use a specific chair that's only for work

• Put your laptop away when work ends

• Face a different direction for work vs relaxation

Why This Works

Your brain likes patterns. When you always work in the same spot, your brain learns "this place = work mode." When you leave that spot, your brain switches to "personal time mode."

It's like having an on/off switch for work.

Start Today

1. Pick one spot for work only

2. Don't do anything else there

3. When work ends, leave that spot

4. See how you feel after one week

That's it. Simple but it works.

My Results

I now work normal hours from home. I can enjoy my evenings without thinking about work. My couch is for relaxing, not for answering emails.

One space, one use. Try it.

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What's your biggest work-from-home challenge? Let me know in the comments!