7 Tips for Working from Home ...

The first of my tips for working from home is to take yourself seriously. If you don’t, no one else will. This applies to spouses, children, neighbors, relatives, and co-workers alike. Don’t say, “I work at home,” instead say, “I work from home,” or “I have a home office.” Treat your job like you would if you had to go to the office every day, and speak of and refer to it in business and professional terms.

Staying in a routine or schedule can really keep the focus on your job. Try to get up every day at the same time. Get dressed and ready as you would for going out. Feeling professional is part of the package! If you have a job that allows you to set your own hours, then choose the most convenient times for you and STICK WITH THEM. Make yourself sit down daily around the same times and get your work done. Working from home can be distracting, so you may have to really apply yourself to stay on track.

Of course there are distractions no matter where you work. In a home or an office setting, you will most likely have multiple distractions daily. Home distractions are much more challenging to overcome, however, since there is really no one to hold you accountable to getting back to your desk. So learn to embrace the distractions. Grab a coffee break or a bathroom break when you get up to answer the door or fix your 4 year old a snack. If it helps, try to hire a babysitter at least a couple days a week so you can make some progress.

This one is tough, because who doesn’t like to stay connected? Leaving Facebook open while you work can really slow your progress, since every time you hear that little notification sound you immediately want to jump on and see who’s hitting you up. Pace yourself, and only allow a Facebook break every few hours or so.

Here’s where it gets literal. You may need to be firm with your spouse and/or children. Make sure they know that when you are working, it’s only to be emergency or very important situations that equal grounds for interruptions. This will be hard, because those who live in the same house with you will need to adapt to thinking of you as “at work” instead of “in the other room.” It helps to have a specific room designated just for work to cope in this situation.

Many bosses have a bad taste in their mouth for employees who want or need to work from home. Make sure you change that way of thinking! Always be courteous to your boss, keep him or her in the loop, and be available via email or phone calls during your work hours. Prove that you CAN be responsible and reliable, even while working from home!

Feeling claustrophobic and non-productive? It’s time for a change in scenery! Pack up and head to the nearest coffee shop with Wi-Fi or grab your paperwork and sit on a park bench somewhere. If you have kiddos, this is a sure way to keep them occupied so you can make some headway without as many distractions!

Working from home successfully CAN be done, even if you have 3 kids, a dog, and an over-zealous boss. You just have to apply yourself, and really focus on stress-management. Oh, and of course these tips can really get you through the day! Do you work from home? Please share your tips for success below, and thanks for reading!