For many of us, being able to work from home would seem like an ideal solution for our hectic lives. Whether we are telecommuting to our workplace, starting our own business or freelancing, working from home could be an ideal thing. But there can be work at home pitfalls. Prepare yourself for the work at home transition with our handy guide.
Organization Methods
It may seem like a great thing to be able to work from home, but if you're not careful you can fall into work at home pitfalls. Some of these pitfalls are cunningly disguised as work at home benefits. For example, there is the freedom. It may seem like one of the benefits, but when you have a job out in the real world you have a structured schedule. When you are working from home, a structured schedule can sometimes go out the door if you're not careful. We can allow ourselves to think we don't have a certain time that we need to start work, that we don't have to get dressed to go to work, that we can allow ourselves to get distracted by different things, all because we are at home. But nothing could be further from the truth. Working from home has to be treated as work, otherwise you can face work at home pitfalls.
The first thing to do is take the time for scheduling work from home. Have a schedule that you follow each day unless there is an important reason why you can't keep the schedule. For example, a doctor's appointment or a family emergency. These types of reasons can also disrupt your work in the actual work environment, so working from home should be no different. Second always dress for work. Some of us might think that getting dressed in a nice outfit is pointless when working from home, but getting dressed will help you to feel like you're heading into the workday, not just lounging around the house.
Next, create an office space for you to work in each day, maybe a spare room in your home, or just a corner of the house where you know you can have some peace and quiet. Another suggestion is to have a separate phone number from your home phone. The reason for this is so that you won't be distracted by personal calls. If it makes you feel better, you can give this number to your kid's school so they can contact you if they need to. For the most part, this number should be used for business purposes only. Have a laptop or desktop computer set up that is for business use only. Don't be tempted to surf the net during what should be work time. Also, if there is anyone at home with you, tell them that you're not to be interrupted unless it's important. The next tip is to always keep your work a priority. Don't let being at home distract you from the things you need to do. It takes a lot of discipline, but you've got to stay on task. Remember that you won't have a boss observing your work, so it's up to you to figure out what needs to be done first, and so on.
Another word of advice: know when to stop working. This can be another of the work at home pitfalls. Because you're at home, you may get carried away and keep working well into the late hours. This isn't a good idea. Your work shouldn't be the only thing in your life, especially if you have a family. Once again, keep a set schedule. Even if you feel something needs to get done for your job, there will always be tomorrow to take care of it.
One last piece of advice--remember to get out of the house from time to time. One good thing about working outside the house is that you actually get outside the house. If you need to take a short walk around the neighborhood to sort through your thoughts, go for it without feeling guilty. Remember that in a structured office environment you will always get breaks and a lunch hour. Working from home should be no different, so have a break time and lunchtime and take this time to unwind and maybe even get some air. There can be work at home pitfalls, but there are also benefits to working from home if you just learn the proper balance between your work and your personal life.
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