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By Kryssa Lighthall
Many people desire the ability to work at home. They imagine
themselves rolling out of bed, commuting 20 feet without any
traffic, except for the occasional pet sleeping in the hallway
and starting work in their home office as they sip on their
favorite latte. Without the daily office politics, commute,
and
water cooler gossip they feel they’ll be more focused and,
ultimately, more efficient. However, with this freedom come
some unforeseen drawbacks that can affect your stress level.
You may find it difficult to keep yourself organized and
motivated without the pressures of a boss or management team.
When you work from home and not required to clock in and out
at
a specific time, you are responsible for your own time
management. To keep yourself and your home office organized so
you are more productive and have less stress, try the
following
tips:
1. Keep a separate and specific work area in your home. This
can be as simple as setting up a large desk and a small filing
cabinet in a quiet room. Make sure you have plenty of
lighting.
Keep it clean and organized so you can find the materials and
supplies you need to do your work.
2. Learn how you are more productive. Identify what type of
work environment helps you work at your best. Are you more
productive when you’re working at your desk or sitting on the
couch? Your home office is your domain. Add personal items and
things that help give you a positive attitude to help make you
more productive.
3. Schedule specific task. Plan your work schedule by
identifying your most productive time and when you have the
most energy. If you a morning person and think more clearly in
the mornings then do your most difficult and important task
during this time. If you have children you may want to begin
work after you get them off to school, before they wake up or
even during their nap.
4. Set your business hours and adhere to the schedule. Just
because you work at home doesn’t mean you can take a break
whenever you want because there’s no boss to tell you to get
back to work. You must be managing your time by setting your
business hours and following them, after all you are your own
boss. Also, many people or clients may assume since you work
from home you are available 24/7. Avoid interruptions by
setting specific office hours when other people can contact
you
regarding business. Communicate this - put your business hours
on your business cards, website, e-mails and voice-mail
recording.
5. Plan, negotiate and prioritize. No matter how hard you try,
your business and personal lives will collide. Don’t stress
out
when personal interruptions affect your business life. Learn
to
detach from your work mode, to focus and address the
interruption and resolve it so that you can move forward. Then
switch back to work mode and get back to your regular work
schedule. Eventually, you will learn to weave in and out
between business mode and personal mode throughout the day so
their can be a productive balance between work and life when
you work at home.
About The Author: Kryssa Lighthall is the founder of
www.work-at-home-magazine.com. Work at Home Magazine is
a community featuring work at home jobs, online business
opportunities and home-based businesses and information and
all
the support and advice.
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