{NAME}, here’s the answer to your question

You asked (on Instagram!)... And I’ve answered! I get a lot of questions day in and day out over in my DMs on Instagram, and I miss the days where I could answer them all! So, I decided to dedicate a day and carve out an exclusive little corner here in your inbox to answer all of your questions about working from home! Pull up a chair and get comfy! It’s time for a behind-the-scenes Q&A – straight from my question box on Instagram! Let's dive in. :) You asked: How do you stay focused on work and not get distracted by messes, laundry, kids etc? How do you get into a 'flow state' when you have ADHD + are working from home with interruptions? Let me be honest: I wish I could give you (and me) a magic potion or quick fix for this one. Focus is probably my #1 struggle right now. Uninterrupted work isn’t guaranteed with kiddos, and I’m the kind of person who has a million tabs open (metaphorically and literally) and so this is a big “I’m still working on it” area. But I’m not giving up and I hope you don’t either, dang it! Here are a few things that have been super helpful: noise canceling headphones, prepping my workspace before I start working so I have everything (and I mean everything, like snacks and chapstick and 4 different beverages) I need before I start, and having only one or two tabs open while doing more focused work. If I ever crack the code, I’ll report back. ;) You asked: Do you batch all of your work? Like Mondays: all things social, Tuesdays: writing, etc? In an ideal world, heck YES! In the past, I did more batch-type days and would really hone in and focus on one task or one type of work. Lately? Not so much. I feel like I’ve been a dabbler lately, but I have also been feeling the effects of that type of work – I feel a lot more scatterbrained, a little more stressed, and I doubt my ability to remember important things. I’d love to get back to a bit more structure because I think it helps me a ton! Having days devoted to one type of skill like: creating content, recording podcasts, writing blog posts, outlining emails etc. would probably serve me well! You asked: Are the kids allowed in your office? Oh yes! I try to batch my more “focused” work during the few hours Coco is in school so that I can be more fluid in the afternoon when she’s home. Right now, she’s watching a Disney movie next to me while I work. (I know, I know, screen time and stuff, but sometimes that’s the reality of working from home with kids!) I never want Coco to feel like she can’t be a part of my work, and so as long as it’s appropriate, I keep an open office door policy and try to be present, even if she interrupts. I also keep some fun, easy toys, books, and crafts in my office, so if she wants to be with me, she can work on something next to me! I know the day will come when my kids are grown and I’ll really miss these moments, so I’m soaking them up while they’re here. You asked: Typically how many hours a day do you work? Although it varies, I work between 6-8 hours a day during the week and I’m really good at logging off on the weekends. I generally start working around 8:30AM and wrap up by 5PM. I usually help with lunch or nap time or spend time with the kids in the middle of the day and usually take a break to jump in the sauna/cold plunge in the afternoon before wrapping up my day. As much as I seek out routine, I also have to admit that I love when it has to flex and change, because that’s one of the beautiful parts of being an entrepreneur. I didn’t leave my 9-5 just to create another one, right? You asked: Do you have a time that feels best to work out? I am NOT one of those people who craves working out (and I know they exist – I am married to one)! So, I’d say the best time to work out is ANYTIME you can fit it in. I used to get straight to work the moment that Drew left for school dropoff and the house was quiet, but now I use that time to start with self-care, and that generally includes getting in some movement. I usually just walk on my treadmill at an incline, and a lot of times I’ll respond to emails or Slacks or review content while walking. I used to really struggle to get movement in, but this has been a game changer for me! Make time to move and even if you don’t want to, tell yourself that you just need to do 10 minutes (and it’ll likely turn into more once you start moving). You asked: Do you have resources for finding a work from home job? Currently not fulfilled in my 9-5! Yes! We actually JUST did a podcast episode about this, so good timing. :) Honestly, the more women I talk to, I feel like the dream, the part most people are looking for, is having flexibility and being able to work a job they love from wherever they are. [Here’s a link to that episode!](=) You asked: How do you not eat/snack all day long? Who says I don’t?? Lol. But I don’t keep a lot of food in my office, and I try to stock it with healthy options to keep my brain churning rather than feeling sluggish. A few of my favorites include: raw almonds, beef sticks, pumpkin seeds, apples, and lupini beans. I love thinking through what I’ll eat for each meal so I don’t saunter into the kitchen at 2PM starving and reaching for anything instant, and I try to avoid working in the kitchen where everything is super accessible. The more that I plan and have healthy options, the less likely I am to devour an entire bag of Cheetos! (but that sounds so good right now, tbh.) You asked: How do you manage time? This is something I’m totally working on. I feel like my “time blindness” feels extra real when I underestimate how long something will take me or when I don’t notice how much time has passed when I’m working on a project. I’m not someone who tracks my time project by project or task by task. I like to know approximately how long something might take me, and I do my best to prioritize based on urgency, needs, and my bandwidth to execute. You asked: Do you ever struggle with lack of interaction working from home? Depression? I lucked out as a work-from-home entrepreneur and am someone who thrives being at home. I can be at home for a week straight and it doesn’t bother me – that’s just how I am! But that doesn’t mean I don’t need and crave interaction. One thing that helps me is that I feel like I’m in community with my team, and we’re communicating via Slack all day. I also take the time to reach out to friends every day and check in, send voice notes, and share funny memes. If I start to get stir crazy or feel isolated, I’ll go work at a coffee shop just to be around more people! You asked: Top 3 WFH must-haves? A comfortable office chair, a massive water bottle (yes, I LOVE [my Stanley]()), and noise canceling headphones! You asked: How do you protect parts of your home for sacred rest? Can I just say that I used to mainly work from my bed or the couch? Like, 90% of my business was built on a comfy cushion for my bum… but now, having a dedicated office space, whoa, has it been transformative. Whether you’re working at the dining room table or that random nook in your bedroom, make a devoted space dedicated to work and do what you can to contain where the work happens so it doesn’t leak into the other areas and spaces of your home. We don’t have a TV in our bedroom, and we also don’t have our cell phones in our bedroom, so that’s where I feel like I naturally unwind and rest! I wish I had been more protective about separating these areas sooner. Now that I have more defined spaces that I work in, I can see how it is so much easier to separate the two. Phew. I don’t always get the chance to open up my little work-from-home world like that, and that’s why I LOVE this inbox community so dang much. It gives us an opportunity to step away from the endless-scroll of social media and still grow together. :) Pretty rad if I do say so myself! Let’s do this more often, shall we? Until next time! Jenna [Unsubscribe]( Jenna Kutcher 440 N Barranca Ave #4227 Covina, California 91723 United States