Reimagining Work From Home
By Ashley Archambault
I work from home, and many days, I don’t leave my house beyond my daily neighborhood walk. In spite of this, I started making more of an effort to “get ready” each morning, so that I would feel more like I actually get up and go out to work each day.
I remembered enjoying getting ready for work.
While I love living my dream as a working writer, I do sometimes miss getting dressed up for jobs outside of the house. Before I wrote full-time, I was a teacher and loved dressing for the job. It helped me feel like a real teacher. By mimicking the motions of getting ready for work as a freelancer, I feel more like I’m in the mindset to do so.
When I realized I was getting in a bit of a work rut at home, I decided to reimagine my morning. I started with organizing and beautifying my bathroom counter to help with the new routine. Instead of just washing my face and brushing my teeth, I started putting on a small amount of make-up, some perfume and jewelry, and a cute (but still comfy) outfit, just as I would if I were getting ready for the “office.”
At first, it admittedly felt a little silly. Putting on make-up and then not leaving the house was something I had never done before. What is the purpose of getting ready if no one sees it? But I found my morning routine instantly lifting my spirits. I felt more like my husband and son, who get up to go to work and school each day. I realized I missed feeling like part of the community that gets up and goes out each weekday morning.
The benefits have been numerous, and each one has surprised me.
Feeling ready for my workday has been helping me to be more optimistic overall. And then that optimism turned into a noticeable increase in my work productivity. Because I’m in a better mood, I have more energy to put a good day of work in. I’m mildly embarrassed to share that I’m getting a lot more done each day than I did when I was basically staying in my pajamas.
Another funny thing I noticed is that if I’m “ready,” I’m more likely to run out for a quick errand or a coffee treat just to break up the day. The benefits of getting some novelty and more social interaction in my day are so obvious. When I feel connected to other people and the world, I just feel better.
Plus, when I get out and about, I often buzz with ideas. And stepping away from the page is part of my editing process anyway. But interacting with other people, almost as if I were at the office still, boosts my morale. I come home feeling less alone and more connected to the world that I’m writing for.
The best part of freelancing is getting to figure out what schedule works for you.
While I see the benefit now in getting ready for my WFH day as if I were leaving the house, I still think it’s important to appreciate the perks of working from home. And one of those perks is taking those working-in-your-pajama days when you need them.
Elna Cain, a WFH freelancer, considers stepping away from her work completely one of the biggest perks of freelancing. “Sometimes I just need to reset my brain by doing anything other than writing,” she says. The break is a reminder that she gets to structure her day around life, “not the other way around.”
One recent study of remote work found that the main disadvantages of working from home are isolation and decreased personal contact, while the main advantages are less stress and a better work-life balance. The study also found that remote workers were more productive working from home than they were at the office.
Ruben Circelli has ten years of experience working from home. His first two tips for other remote workers are to 1) Create a routine and 2) Take breaks. The third? Leave home. He also points out that if you work for a corporation with predefined breaks - then take them, even from home.
And Sara Tan, a fashion and beauty editor with seven years’ experience working from home, reinforces this sentiment by actually scheduling an afternoon break for herself. She says, “I try to do a significant amount of work on something before I make an afternoon snack, or go to Pilates, take a walk, or run to the grocery store. It’s all scheduled in, so I’m not wandering away from work on a whim.”
Reimagining my morning helped me take my profession more seriously.
The CDC suggests that remote workers keep a routine, set boundaries between work and home life, and take breaks. They say that making sure you’re getting some exercise outside in the sun, as well as connecting with others, are also important for your overall health.
Like many, I started working from home about six years ago. My classroom switched to virtual overnight, and my stress levels fell dramatically. I could do yoga in the morning, fit an outside break in here and there, and with access to a kitchen, the quality of my lunches skyrocketed. I was hooked on remote work within a few weeks.
I liked taking casual pajama days for a long time - and I still occasionally need one - but I like this balance for myself a lot better. I think everyone needs to figure out their own best WFH system. The space for each person’s system to be differentiated is to me what the biggest perk of freelancing is.
I just couldn’t have imagined that by adding some whimsy to my morning ultimately made me feel more like a working professional again.
Ashley Archambault is a writer, mom, and native Floridian. Before writing full-time, she worked as a youth librarian and an English teacher. She shares her lessons in life and writing on My Writing Life, as well as recipes, book roundups, and other cultural musings on the Arrogant Baker blog. Her essay, “How to Know When You’re a Writer,” is part of Indie Novella’s Bread Alone anthology, released in March 2026.