It seems that everyone who has access to high-speed internet wants to work from home. It’s certainly true that there are plenty of advantages to doing so – but it’s also true that working from home brings its own unique challenges. Before you start telecommuting, consider these tips to keep you on track.
First and foremost, many people assume that working from home will mean fewer distractions. After all, people who’ve worked in offices know that when you’re in a rush, the last thing you need is co-workers coming to ask for something form you, or just to chat. Or how about those difficult coworkers that you just wish you could avoid contact with? If you work from home, you’ll be free from those distractions and difficulties, right? Well, you can be if you take appropriate steps to deal with other potential issues.
It’s pretty common for people who work from home to find that they end up with more distractions than they’d anticipated. Do you have pets that need attending? Even though they spent the day by themselves when you were working, you’ll be surprised to see how much more attention they think they need just because you’re home.
You’ll also find that friends and family ask you to drop what you’re doing and help them. It might start off as something simple, like having a package sent to your home since they know you’ll be home. Then they show up at 3 PM to pick it up and the next thing you know, they’ve invited themselves in for a chat.
You may find a lot of your friends or family members also assume that because you work from home you are suddenly available to handle all of their babysitting needs. Depending on how presumptuous they are, you may even find neighbor children knocking on the door to be let in while their parent is pulling out their driveway, waving to you. Of course you can’t let a small child fend for themselves at that moment, but the issue will definitely need to be addressed, or you will never get anything accomplished for your job.
The best way to prevent this issue is to be totally inflexible. It might sound harsh at first, but if you set a clear line that you are working and you simply cannot be distracted, then before you know it, you’ll stop getting these requests. The same goes for pets or children at home. You’re at work. You’re invisible. The sooner you act that way, the sooner they’ll get used to it.
Another temptation when working from home is taking long breaks. We tell ourselves that since we don’t have a commute to or from work, we can take a two-hour lunch to catch up with friends or watch daytime TV. The problem is that what starts out as a break can quickly turn into taking the afternoon off. The key is setting limits for yourself – and sticking to them no matter what!
You can also delineate between work and home life by having your own designated office space that is only used for work. Folding laundry and working up a proposal for work should not be done in the same space. It’s also important to avoid the other extreme – burnout. Many home workers tend to have a more difficult time stepping away from the computer and transitioning to home and family life. Use technology to your advantage, by setting up pop-up reminders to stop and have lunch, pick up your children from school, or call it a day.
Some would say that these types of rigid rules take away all the fun of working from home. But if you do your work in the time allotted, you’ll be able to skip that commute, wear whatever you want and decide on your own hours. On the other hand, if you take long breaks, stop to play with the dog every hour or get talked into running errands, you’ll find that what should be an 8 hour day quickly turns into a 12 hour day just to get things done.
One of the pitfalls you might not have thought of when you decide to work from home is missing out on the camaraderie of coworkers, as well as networking opportunities you get from interacting in the business world. An alternative might be having some face time in the office if you work for a company. Also, take advantage of the many online networking opportunities available.
If you work for a company, out of sight, out of mind can end up being one of the difficulties you run up against. For instance, although you might be very qualified for a promotion, because you work from home, you might not be taken as seriously as some of your competition. It’s also easy for you to be inadvertently kept out of the loop in important communications. It’s important to be very intentional about keeping yourself indispensable.
People who work from home can quickly feel as if their lives have gotten very small and inward focused, as well. Isolation is a big issue, especially if you tend more toward over-working. Make sure you build into your work week a business lunch or some other pleasant distraction. A great way to mix business and pleasure is to join an organization that holds social events designed for networking and relaxation.
Working from home is certainly a blessing to those who are cut out for it. You must just be sure to be a self-starter and to stick to the goals you set for yourself.
