Work From Home
Some people love it, some people hate it. Many people dream of it. Working from home is either a joy or a terror, depending on how you approach it. Do you dream of the freedom, flexibility, and the relaxed atmosphere your home office could provide? Do you dream of working in your slippers and pajamas? But…
In reality, working from home can be great, but it can also be frustrating. To be successful you have to set it up right and set some rules for yourself from the offset. These rules will depend on your situation, and what works for you personally, and the type of work you are doing. Here are some guidelines to get you started:
- Define a special place that will be your office. Only use the space for that purpose. This is important for mindset, but also if you hope to claim a home-office deduction on your taxes!
- Close the door to your office space.
- Remove anything that could be the cause of any distractions. No TV. No Playstation, etc…
- Get small children out of the home while you work, get in-home support or family member to help out.
- Make your workstation and office area comfortable. You’ll be grateful for this after you end up spending a lot of time here.
- Get file cabinets, file folders, labels, and then putting them to use. You must keep your area organized.
- Plan a schedule that suits your own productivity cycles, plan to work when you’re naturally the most productive. Find your prime working time.
- Set your own rules: Whatever works for you, for example: a break every hour, no browsing the net except for business-related reasons. Identify your own weaknesses and address them with rules to help curb your unproductive behavior.
- Limit your out of hours work. Just be cause your working at home, don’t always we working when your at home. Let your answering machine do it’s job. Avoid workaholism.
- Working from home can also be very isolating. Make regular attempts to connect with the outside world. Pick up the phone, or visit a neighbor.
- You don’t necessarily need a desk or designated office area, as you could just work from your kitchen table.
Set up your space, set up your rules, and enjoy. Identify any problem areas early on and address them. Good luck.
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