So you’ve finally reached your goal of working at home! Congratulations! :)

Even if you’re not quite there yet, there are some things you need to consider about the dynamics of working at home. It’s not necessarily as easy as you might think. It takes some discipline to keep yourself focussed and to be able to manage your time effectively.

Here’s a few Do’s and Dont’s to keep in mind when you are working at home.

Do: Set a Schedule - and make sure everyone knows about it!

If you have children or other family members at home you need to set some clear boundaries to keep you from getting distracted.

Let everyone in your household know when you are scheduled to be working. Be clear that they are not to interrupt you while you are working. Remind everyone that just because you are physically in the house does not mean that you can stop what you are doing every five minutes to make lunch, referee sibling disputes, help them look for things, play games, or any of the million other requests you get throughout your day.

It may even help to post your work schedule somewhere in your house where everyone can see it.

Don’t: Build a Home Office - Yet

Once you can really afford to build a separate home office, go for it. But there is really no need to go into debt to do so.  Instead, set aside a quiet, comfortable area in your home as your office. A spare bedroom, a section of your basement, or even in your garage can work nicely. All you really need is a quiet area to work, a neat and organized work surface, a place for your computer, printer, fax and phone and maybe a filing cabinet.

Do: Take Your Work on a Little Field Trip

If you’re finding that you are getting too distracted at home, head out for a coffee shop, Internet cafe, or library where you can get Wifi access.

One of the unexxpected downfalls of working at home is the isolation and lonliness that comes from not going to a corporate office everyday.  Break up the monotony once in a while and go work somewhere else once in a while. It will do wonders for you.

Don’t: Watch TV or surf the Net

I know it’s tempting to fire up the laptop while watching TV, but this is a major waste of time.  You need to be able to concentrate on your work.  Also avoid the temptation of surfing all over the net, reading all the interesting news, checking your personal email, or instant messaging.

Turn the TV off. Leave your personal email for after work, and turn off the instant messaging apps.

These are just a few tips for making the transition to working at home a smoother one.

What are your biggest hurdles that you’ve had to overcome to be successful working at home?  What are your greatest tips?

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