Working From Home - eeekkkkkkk

Create an Office to be Proud Of!

Working from home takes the most amount of discipline & dedication. The concept of working from home is far different from the reality. The idea is defiantly not the reality and the 'perks' are equally matched with the 'constraints'. Simple distractions can easily throw your day off course. While you are effectively your own boss, you still have to have the discipline to achieve the results required & recognise that it can be a very lonely way of working. From my own experience here are some simple tips that could help you with a work/life balance & achieve success from working from home.


Make sure that you have an organised office area, away from your usual living environment so that you can actually 'go to work'. This not only helps you focus but also let's those around you know that you are 'unavailable' and 'at work'.  It also means that when work has 'finished' for the day, it will actually feel like you have finished!

Take breaks. Its easy to get lost in your work (sometimes a little too lost) when you find yourself in the same position you started  hours earlier without so much as a cup of tea or lunch. Make sure there is structure to your day. If the weather is nice, get outside for your lunch or take ten minutes in the afternoon to have a drink outside. Simply having a cuppa at your desk does n't constitute a break. Moving from your desk gives you time to refocus & getting fresh air makes you feel like you really have had a break.

It's ok to talk. Talk to reps, talk to clients, talk to other people at work. It's important that you don't become isolated in your job. Interaction is crucial to decision making, understanding and healthy working. Working in an office environment means you are constantly bouncing ideas and thoughts off colleagues and working from home shouldn't mean your isolated. Talking to your best friend for an hour doesn't qualify but chatting to your supplier, talking to office based colleagues & customer's is all part of understanding and developing.

Be strict with your office hours! This is a biggie. I am away's on time for work. For me this is a necessity for a successful day. However I have tended to finish later than intended; this wouldn't happen if I worked in a shared office or environment where other's left to go home.  You have to maintain the work/life separation and this is crucial for that. (note to myself, follow own advice!).

Finally enjoy it! Yes there are perks to working from home. You don't miss the post, you can pop a wash on when you take a break & you can (occasionally) work in your pj's (I said occasionally, you are at work after all!)