Tips for Working From Home
For many people working from home sounds like a great opportunity, to spend more time with family, eliminate the horrid travel and ultimately enjoy life a little more.
However if not planned carefully, working from home could prove disastrous.
The first thing you must realize when considering working from home is the fact that you are still expected to work.
If you work for an employer that employer expects you to be as productive as you were before if not more.
If you work for yourself, you most likely already know the stakes of not being as productive as you can.
In the end the competition will run you out of business.
So how can you maintain your production level if not increase it while dealing with the family members, blurring TV and other distractions that the comfort of your home brings? The first and probably most important step to successfully working from home is dedicating a portion of your home as your work area and nothing else.
Traditionally a desk, a comfortable chair, a computer, a filling cabinet are the bare minimal requirements for this environment.
In this area only work items are permitted.
Make sure it's in a fairly quiet area and let your family know this area is strictly for work purposes.
Make the area as comfortable as possible, excluding the bed, while keeping it business appropriate.
Think of it as the office you wished you had while you were slaving away in that little cubicle.
The second and arguably equally important factor is a strong work mindset.
If your traditional hours are 9 to 5, just because your working from home doesn't mean you can sleep until 9:05 and roll up to your desk in your pajamas.
Even though you have eliminated the ugliness of travel you still have to have a mental mindset of working those scheduled hours.
Meaning waking up at an appropriate time that allows you time to take that refreshing shower, get professionally dressed, make your morning cup of coffee and still be at your desk at or before 9.
The third and probably most difficult, depending on your situation is establishing boundaries with your family.
Nothing is more unprofessional than calling someone and hearing yelling kids in the background or the Sponge Bob Square Pants anthem in the background.
So as previously stated make sure your office environment is in a quiet place and if this is impossible speak with your family about establishing certain guidelines when business calls are made.
These three tips should get your started.
However if not planned carefully, working from home could prove disastrous.
The first thing you must realize when considering working from home is the fact that you are still expected to work.
If you work for an employer that employer expects you to be as productive as you were before if not more.
If you work for yourself, you most likely already know the stakes of not being as productive as you can.
In the end the competition will run you out of business.
So how can you maintain your production level if not increase it while dealing with the family members, blurring TV and other distractions that the comfort of your home brings? The first and probably most important step to successfully working from home is dedicating a portion of your home as your work area and nothing else.
Traditionally a desk, a comfortable chair, a computer, a filling cabinet are the bare minimal requirements for this environment.
In this area only work items are permitted.
Make sure it's in a fairly quiet area and let your family know this area is strictly for work purposes.
Make the area as comfortable as possible, excluding the bed, while keeping it business appropriate.
Think of it as the office you wished you had while you were slaving away in that little cubicle.
The second and arguably equally important factor is a strong work mindset.
If your traditional hours are 9 to 5, just because your working from home doesn't mean you can sleep until 9:05 and roll up to your desk in your pajamas.
Even though you have eliminated the ugliness of travel you still have to have a mental mindset of working those scheduled hours.
Meaning waking up at an appropriate time that allows you time to take that refreshing shower, get professionally dressed, make your morning cup of coffee and still be at your desk at or before 9.
The third and probably most difficult, depending on your situation is establishing boundaries with your family.
Nothing is more unprofessional than calling someone and hearing yelling kids in the background or the Sponge Bob Square Pants anthem in the background.
So as previously stated make sure your office environment is in a quiet place and if this is impossible speak with your family about establishing certain guidelines when business calls are made.
These three tips should get your started.
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