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Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Work In My Pajamas
Working from home can seem like you’re living the dream, but at times it’s hard to stay focused. The everyday demands of life can creep up more frequently when you’re at home, particularly if you’re looking for an excuse to stop working. If you want to be successful, you really need to focus and stay committed to what you’re doing. Make sure you’re really prepared for what working from home will entail.
In This Post:
Dress for Success
People often joke about being able to “work in their pajamas”, but the truth is that it’s hard to stay focused when you’re wearing the same clothes you sleep in. While you don’t necessarily have to go all-out and put on a suit and make up, at least take off your sleep wear. Put on some jeans and a nice shirt and this professionalism will start to seep through any emails or phone calls you’re making. Not only that, but you’ll be instantly ready to leave the house if something pops up.
Know Your Industry
Feeling prepared is often about having knowledge. When you know the answers to all of the potential questions your customers might ask, you feel empowered. Spend a portion of your day researching your industry. If you are working for a company like ASEA Reviews, make use of any research and training guides they provide. If you provide a service like web design, look up the standard rates in your area so that you can feel confident meeting with clients who might try to underbid. You may have a lot to learn at first, but if you keep at it, your knowledge base will grow and you’ll start to be seen as an expert in your field.
Organize Your Life
When you work from home, it’s easy to leave your things spread about. This makes it difficult when you’re working because you have to take the time to find what you need when you need it. Set up an area that’s specifically for working. Use some type of planner to set goals and schedule the tasks you need to do to reach those goals. Buy a filing cabinet and keep all of your important papers there. In doing this, you’ll feel more productive and you’ll have an easier time accessing information.
Plan to Work
Set aside specific times of day when you’re going to do whatever work you have. If you don’t do this, you might find you get distracted too easily. For example, you might make a phone call or respond to an email, then get up to do the laundry or dishes. Once you step away from your work, it’s hard to get back into the swing of things. Consider using the Pomodoro Technique. To do this, you set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on your work for 25 minutes. Then you get a five minute break. After a few cycles, you can take an even longer break. You may not need to work a full eight hours, but you need to set aside specific times. Find out how much time you really need when you stay focused on your work.
Ask for Help When You Need It
It’s rarely possible to know all of the answers. While you want to go into any meeting with a customer prepared, sometimes you’ll get a question you just can’t answer. Don’t worry too much though, what you do need to know is where to look for the answers. Practice telling people, “I’m not sure, but I will find out the answer and get back to you,” then follow through on this.
When working from home, it’s important to remember that this really is your job. Separate your work life from your home life even when the two are close together.
