3 Work-At-Home Guidelines Guaranteed to Increase Productivity and Sanity
Working at home can be great. If you have the space, the time and the privacy, the home environment can be the ideal workplace. You can't beat the commute. You have your own kitchen and bathroom. You determine the dress code, the hours and the breaks. Notice how many of those last few sentences started with the word, you? That's right, when it comes to working at home, it all becomes about you. More importantly, it all becomes about how disciplined you are working in the kind of environment where you make all the rules. Even the best disciplined among us can fall into some of the work-at-home traps that end productivity and stifle creativity. Here's 3 guidelines that consistently work for me. The TV Is Your Enemy Let's get this one out of the way first and foremost. Trying to do meaningful work with a TV on at the same time is just not a good idea. Now, I'm sure there are those who feel they can "multitask" with the TV on. There are also those who like to use the TV as a source of white noise in the background. Well, I'm sorry. I still do not think it's a good idea to try to focus on something significant with a television buzzing in the background. Think about it. That box has been designed specifically to snag your attention and keep it. The lights, the colors and the sounds have all been optimized by marketers and program directors to constantly ply for your attention. That's going to be difficult for anyone to ignore. Don't take the chance of letting the TV suck you in. Turn it off. If you need white noise, choose some unfamiliar music to play. You won't have the distracting visual clues of the TV and unfamiliar songs won't make you want to sing along. (This happens to me a lot! I now try to stick with background music that has no vocals.) Beware the Internet Diversion If you are working in a office, you are almost always aware of the people around you. Your office mates often walk through, stop by for a chat and are just nearby quite a bit. I believe this kind of attention keeps a person in check when it comes to internet diversion. At the office, you may sometimes take a moment to watch a silly video on YouTube or catch up with some of the latest news or gossip that interests you. This is normal and as long as you aren't breaking any company policies, I really think it's okay. I can guarantee, however, if your co-workers are constantly seeing you distracted and not working, your going to hear about it one way or the other. It's this slight consequence that helps keep you in check. Even in the type of office where internet breaks are no big deal, most people will get that quick jolt of "I should be working..." when the boss walks by and you're online searching for bargains on Craigslist. Working at home does not provide this kind of consequence. If you clicked on that blog you're super interested in, (c'mon, you know the one) and you get sucked into a three hour surf session, there's no one there to remind you, "Hey, you should be working." That's all up to you now. You have to stay aware of how much time you are spending on internet activities that aren't really productive. Continue to Love Your Family by Keeping Them at Bay If you are like me, you'll find that you have to work at home while your family is there as well. Sharing space like this can be difficult. You are trying to use the space for focused work and productivity. The family, however, is using it as the home that it is. You need a place where you can concentrate. They need a place where they can chill out, relax and enjoy the time. Setting proper boundaries is key. In my home, I keep my work upstairs and give the family the downstairs. I try to set a fairly consistent amount of time for my work. They try to give me the time I need and I, in turn, try to make time for them. It's not always perfect mind you, but everyone is trying. I also suggest having the kind of conversation with your family where you explain exactly what you are doing and why. I believe it has helped my kids to understand why I spend an hour or two alone in the evenings. They know I'm there to work and respect the situation. In turn, I try to appreciate our family time as just that: family time. Not take-calls-time or finish-up-a-project-time. Certainly there are good days and bad. But I do believe that our set boundaries make it easier for everyone to get what they need. These guides work well for me. If you adjust the specifics to your own life, I'm sure you will find success. About The Author: Mike Howdyshell is micro business entrepreneur and owner of Develop My Life LLC. He is focused on creating and developing mobile applications, freelance writing and providing consulting services to those who are interested in building their own small business. Follow his progress and look for more great ideas at the company website, [http://www.DevelopMyLifeLLC.com]http://www.DevelopMyLifeLLC.com. Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?3-Work-At-Home-Guidelines-Guaranteed-to-Increase-Pr...] 3 Work-At-Home Guidelines Guaranteed to Increase Productivity and SanityComments [0]
