Three years, 10,000+ hours: Three work-from-home lessons

I’ve spent more than 10,000 hours as a fully remote copywriter.

And you know what?

I still can’t tell you the best way to stay productive. Because one-size-fits-all solutions are bullshit.

Instead, here are the three most important things I’ve learned working from home.

1. Winging it won’t work

Multiple clients, multiple projects, multiple deadlines (multiple lives, really).

Distractions are everywhere. Without planning ahead, without structure and routine. It’s impossible to keep up.

How do I stay on track?

I live by my bullet journal. To keep me accountable and own my time:

Will it work for you? Maybe.

Winging it won’t.

Peep Matt Ragland on YouTube for more about goal setting and planning using a bullet journal.

So is patience.

Personal and professional collide when you work from home. And the unexpected is always urgent or important.

Truth is, shit happens. No matter how well planned you are.

In the past, I would react emotionally when things went sideways. It would derail my day, I would step in the shit. Now, I try to:

Self-management is a superpower—learn to harness it.

Seriously, get the fuck outside.

And socialize with other humans in real life.

Don’t be a hermit (I say to myself). Your creativity and productivity will thank you. As will your mental health and well-being.

So just fucking do it (again, to myself). If you live and work in the same place—leave the place.

Working from home can be isolating, draining, and repetitive. Break the pattern:

Winging it won’t work. Be flexible. And don’t forget to touch grass.

That’s it, no secret hacks.

Just three simple lessons from that blue-collar copywriter guy.

Thanks for reading.