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Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Work In My Pajamas
There is a large contingency of the working population that feel that it would be an ideal situation to work from home. They envision sleeping in every morning, lounging on the couch in the afternoon and avoiding the hassles of driving to an office. The problem with that scenario is that there is no work being done.
Anyone who has experience in working from home will admit that it is not nearly as glamorous as it sounds. In order to work from home and be successful, you need to be extremely dedicated and disciplined. It also helps to have a few tricks that work for others that make their living while working from home.
Have an Office with a Door
When you work from home, you still need to have an office. You need a place where you can set up your work materials, file papers and get things done. Spreading out on the kitchen table is not going to cut it. You need an office with a door that you can close to get your privacy. This become extremely convenient when you are taking an important business call and you have a loud household.
Have a Schedule
One of the most difficult things to do when you are working from home is to develop an effective schedule. Your schedule needs to take your work needs into account, but it also needs to take your home situation into consideration as well.
There are times in the day when your house is bustling with family activity. It is almost impossible to ignore these times of the day, especially if you have children. But there are times when you will need to be working to meet deadlines or talk to clients.
Develop a schedule that allows you to give attention to work but also give attention to your family. The important thing is to develop an understanding with your family that your work hours are important. When your office door is closed during working hours, you are not to be interrupted unless it is an emergency.
Set Goals
Just because you are working at home does not mean that you should forget about achieving business goals. Work is work, whether you are doing it at home or in an office building. Get a whiteboard for your home office and write out your daily, weekly and monthly business goals. Keep a calendar where you write out all of your pending business meetings and functions. Set business goals and work hard to achieve them.
Reflect
One of the things that many people who work from home forget to do is to reflect on why they are working so hard. One of the advantages that working from home offers you is the chance to see what rewards your hard work produces. Every once in a while, take some time to look at your home and the car in your driveway. It will help you to remember why you are working so hard and help you focus while working from home.
If you decide to work from home, keep in mind that it can often be more difficult than working in an office building. But once you get yourself into a good routine, you will find that it becomes a very productive working arrangement.