What 13 Years of Working From Home Has Taught Me (Besides Getting Dressed)

It’s been 13 years since starting RemeVerse (our skincare brand) with my aunt and uncle. The lab and manufacturing have always been in Nashville and I’ve worked remotely from Texas this entire time. 

For 13 years.

Even typing that makes me wonder where the time went!

As president of RemeVerse, I’ve spent those years juggling everything that comes with running a business, managing a team from a distance, and figuring out how to work from home without letting work completely take over my home.

And let me tell you, there was a learning curve.

In the beginning, I felt guilty about the luxury of working from home. Joe and the kids headed out each morning for school and work, while I stayed behind with my laptop and coffee.

I had many friends who were showering, dressing, packing lunches, coordinating carpools, and getting dinner into the crockpot before the sun came up. Meanwhile, I was at home, often working away in my workout clothes. Or pajamas. 

I almost felt like I needed to apologize for my arrangement. 

But here’s what I learned pretty quickly: working from home is still working. And some days, it’s really hard.

There were plenty of afternoons when everyone arrived home asking what was for dinner, and I stood there, still hunched over my laptop, wondering where the day had gone.

Dinner? Had I even eaten lunch?

I was like a deer in headlights. Wearing pajamas.

Back then, I didn’t know many other women with remote, full-time jobs, and I certainly didn’t have a playbook. I figured it out as I went. 

Some things worked swimmingly. Others? Not so much. Today, I know so many women who work remotely, have transitioned into new careers, or are considering something different as they enter this next chapter of life.

And while I’m certainly no expert on having it all figured out, I have learned a few things after 13 years.

Here are eight of them. Maybe they’ll save you a little time. Or at least give you a laugh.

1. Find a Place to Work. Even if It’s a Closet.

My first home office was literally a closet in our game room.

Among the Wii remotes and Rock Band instruments, I kept a rolling file folder, my laptop, and whatever paperwork I needed that day.

Sometimes I worked from the sofa. Sometimes the kitchen table. Occasionally one of the kids’ desks.

At the end of the day, I’d pack everything up and stash it away. Sometimes under the sofa. 

Over the years, I’ve graduated to a real home office with an actual door. Very official!

Though, full disclosure: that same office is currently serving as a “pop-up” guest room for the holidays, so I’m temporarily back in the kitchen. Today (pictured here) the dining room.

Apparently, after 13 years, I’m still flexible.

What I’ve learned is that you don’t need a beautiful office to be productive. But it really helps to have a place where your work belongs, even if it’s just a cabinet where you can tuck everything away.

2. Office Hours Aren’t Just for People Who Go to an Office

I love telling people that my commute is about 20 steps, coffee in hand.

But even with a commute that short, I’ve learned that I need a beginning and an end to my workday.

In the early years, I was always sort of working.

I’d check email while cooking dinner, answer a quick question while watching television, or return to my laptop because I’d remembered something I needed to do.

There was never really an end to the day.

Today, I’m much better about setting work hours and sticking to them. When I’m working, I’m working. When I’m having dinner with Joe or spending time with family, I want to be there, too.

Of course, things come up. But I’ve learned that not everything needs my attention at that exact moment. I’m still a work in progress, but I’m a lot better at being present than I used to be.

3. Find a Planner You’ll Actually Use

I am a professional planner buyer.

Seriously. I’ve purchased more planners over the years than I care to admit, with high hopes of becoming an uber organized person. And for years, none of them stuck.

When I worked in an office, I had a calendar for work and another for family life. Meetings went on one. Band practices, dance schedules, and appointments went on the other.

Then suddenly my two worlds were happening in the same place, and I couldn’t seem to keep track of either one.

I know there are wonderful digital tools and calendar apps out there. And I use some of them.

But I’m over 50 now, and not ashamed to admit this: I love a paper planner.

I’ve used this same style for about four years. I just bought my 2027 edition! Everything goes in it: RemeVerse meetings, deadlines, doctor appointments, travel plans, family commitments. All of it.

It’s not high tech, but it works for me. And that’s what matters.

4. Take a Lunch Break. Preferably Not Over the Kitchen Sink.

When I worked in an office, I almost always took a lunch break.

Sometimes I went out. Sometimes I ate in the break room or chatted with coworkers. But I stepped away from my desk.

Then I started working from home.

For years, lunch was whatever I could find in the refrigerator or pantry. Leftover mac and cheese? Sold! 

And more often than I’d like to admit, I ate it standing over the kitchen sink.

Why? I have no idea.

Somehow, being at home made me feel like I didn’t need a real break.

These days, I make a point of stepping away, even if it’s only for 10 or 15 minutes.

Sometimes I eat lunch on the patio. Sometimes I take a short walk. Sometimes I meet a friend.

And sometimes I still eat leftovers. I actually did today. 

But at least I was sitting down.

5. Get Dressed. You’ll Feel Better.

I’m not suggesting you need dress pants or real shoes to take calls or answer emails.

One of the best parts of working from home is that you don’t!

But I learned that staying in my “cozy clothes” or workout stuff all day didn’t make me feel particularly good.

In the early days, I’d go straight from school drop-off or breakfast dishes to my laptop. Before I knew it, it was 4 p.m., and I hadn’t showered.

Now I try to get up, exercise, shower, do my skincare routine, and get dressed before I start working.

Not because anyone is watching. And certainly not for the UPS guy.

I just feel better.

And as someone who spends much of her day promoting skincare products and encouraging  women to take car of themselves. neglecting my own self-care is ridiculous. 

Besides, you never know when someone is going to suggest a surprise Zoom call.

6. Stay Connected. It Can Get Lonely in Here.

This one surprised me.

Even though I spend plenty of time talking with our RemeVerse team, working alone is different from being around people in an office.

In the beginning, I really missed my coworkers and the everyday conversations that happened naturally.

I also felt caught somewhere between being a stay-at-home mom and a working mom.

My friends who were home during the day could get together for lunch or coffee, but I was working. And my friends who worked outside the home were busy, too.

It was an odd in-between place.

Over time, I’ve learned to make room for connection.

Sometimes that means scheduling lunch with an old friend. Sometimes it’s coffee with someone new. Sometimes it’s just getting out of the house for a little while.

I’ve also learned not to feel guilty about it.

Spending an hour with a friend can do wonders for my mood. I usually return to work feeling refreshed and ready to tackle whatever is waiting for me.

7. Timers Are My Secret Weapon

If you hear something beeping at my house, there’s a good chance it’s a timer I’ve set. 

I use timers on my watch, my phone, and occasionally the microwave.

I set them to remind myself about meetings, to get up and stretch, to switch projects, and sometimes just to stop working.

Without them, I can get so involved in a project that I lose track of time.

And I mean really lose track of time.

Timers also help me make room for little things I enjoy, like stepping outside for fresh air or taking a quick walk.

One of my favorite things about working from home is being able to walk out the front door for ten minutes when I need a break.

A little sunshine and fresh air can make a big difference in my afternoon.

8. Give Yourself Some Grace. And Ask for Help.

This may be the biggest lesson of all.

For a long time, I felt like working from home meant I should somehow be able to do everything.

Run a business. Keep the house running. Make dinner. Be available for the kids. Answer every email. Never miss a deadline.

After all, I was already home, right?

Well, it turns out being home doesn’t magically add more hours to the day.

Sometimes a project takes longer than expected. Sometimes a meeting runs late. Sometimes the dinner I planned at 8 a.m. is absolutely not happening at 6 p.m.

And that’s okay.

I’ve gotten much better about asking for help, delegating at work, and occasionally ordering dinner instead of making it.

I’ve also learned that flexibility goes both ways.

As someone who manages remote employees, I appreciate the trust and freedom that come with working from home. I also believe in being responsible with that freedom, both for myself and for the people I work with.

Some days everything comes together beautifully. Other days, not so much.

Thirteen Years Later…

Would I choose this again?

Absolutely.

I’ve been allowed the flexibility, the freedom, and the opportunity to build a career while being present for so much of my family’s everyday life.

I’ve also learned that working from home doesn’t automatically create balance. You have to figure out what balance looks like for you.

For me, that’s meant making room for work I care about while remembering that my health, faith, family, and relationships matter even more.

And it’s meant accepting that I won’t get everything right every day.

Thirteen years later, I’m still learning. I’m still adjusting. And every once in a while, I still find myself wondering what’s for dinner.

But at least these days I’m usually dressed. 🙂

I’d love to know: Do you work from home? And if you do, what’s one thing you’ve learned that makes your days easier?