If an employer invites you to work from home, or if you are self employed, and it does not make financial sense to rent a dedicated working space, then a little planning and foresight can make the experience of setting up as a home worker far smoother and more satisfactory.
A Practical Home Based Working Routine
Key to successful home based working is a clearly defined daily work routine. A fixed start time is not always necessary, but clearly deciding a point when you dedicate your attention to work will avoid unproductive time which is nonetheless polluted by the stresses of work. Beware checking email or taking work calls outside of this work time! Take regular breaks from work; if you find it difficult to restart work, make sure that you have a clearly defined task for your return. One pattern that suits many home workers is to work two of the following periods of the day: morning, afternoon and evening.
Good Planning when Working from Home
Good planning is absolutely essential when working without the stimulation of a team environment around you. Plan on daily, weekly and monthly basis tasks that must be achieved, while leaving adequate flexibility to follow up new ideas or leads. Prioritize tasks and be sure to reward yourself with a break when you have completed a significant piece of work.
A Dedicated Home Based Working Area
Working from home offers the freedom to set up a really high quality working environment. Your desk or workshop need not be dedicated solely to “the day job”, as few people enjoy enough spare space to have a dedicated room for this purpose. However, it does need to be both comfortable and practical.
Time and money spent on useful storage space and equipment is a wise investment when setting up your working area, as adjustments to your working environment are sure to slip down your list of priorities when the pressure and excitement of a new home based venture progress!
Separate Contact Details when Working from Home
Work/life balance is a key factor for successful home based working. If there is too much overlap between personal and work life, for example work calls received in the middle of the family evening meal, you risk stress and loss of productivity. Separate home and work email address and telephone number from the word go as changing contact details for a business is always a painful process which risks high costs and lost contacts.
Working from Home: Motivation is Key
Only consider working from home if you are truly motivated by your work. Home workers readily tell of the temptation to drift even from work they enjoy for the delights of petting the cat or raiding the fridge.
Follow these hints and tips you will enjoy genuinely low stress and fulfilling home based working.
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