Top 10 Things You Need to Know to Be Productive Working at Home

One of the biggest things to overcome when you decide to work from home is procrastination.  It is very easy to allow yourself to be distracted by the family, a great show, or housework instead of plowing ahead with your work.

Here are some tips to keep you productive!

Set up your office space.

You need to have a space in your house that is dedicated to working.  In this space, you should have a desk, computer, ergonomic chair, and a door that closes.

A door that is closed will tell you as well as your family that you are now working.  They are less likely to come knocking if the door is closed.  If you can get a printer and/or fax machine that is even better.  This needs to be an area that when you walk into it, you automatically have a mindset of now it’s time to work.

Set your schedule up.

You have set hours when you go outside the house to work you should have set hours when you stay home as well.  These hours should be known by all members of the household.  Don’t set yourself up to fail.  If you know that you have to take your kids to school between 8:00 to 8:15 a.m., then set your schedule to start after that.

Are you a morning person?  A evening person?  Set your schedule according to what kind of person you are.  Some like to work late into the night because they are a night owl.  You work from home take advantage of that luxury.

Stay organized.

Keep your work space tidy and neat.  Create a list of tasks to do each day at the beginning of the day.  Mark the task off as you finish them.  This will make you feel like you are accomplishing something as you see the list get smaller.

Dress for work.

I know that the first thing you probably hear is that you can work in your pajamas or shorts.  I don’t suggest doing it.  By getting up each morning, having breakfast, showering and dressing, you are telling your mind that you are ready for a busy work day.

Give yourself breaks.

When you get to working hard on something, you still need to take a break to keep your mind fresh.  There is a reason that in the brick and mortar world they take breaks.  Get something to eat.  Make sure that you drink throughout the day.

Be careful about background noises.

Don’t turn on that heavy metal music you love.  Don’t turn on the soap operas.  Think about who could call while that is on.  Things effect your mood so be prepared to listen to music that is soothing or uplifting.  If you have small children in the household, invest in a good sound canceling headset.  It will be well worth your money.

Stay focused on projects.

If you are working on one project with a deadline, don’t go look at your email in the middle of it.  Don’t go to a gaming site, it will take you away from your target objective.  Have times when you turn off your instant messages so that you can get some work done.

Find a balance between your personal life and work life.

End of the day.   It is time to stop.  Do not overwork yourself.  You will burn yourself out fast.  Follow your schedule.  When it is time to stop for the night, stop.  You still have a personal life even though you are working from home. 

Clearly define your boundaries to your family.

Make sure that you talk with your family about your hours.  Make sure that they are aware when you will be unavailable to help them, chores, etc.   If they know your boundaries, they are less likely to cross them.  Make sure you stand firm as well.

Evaluate!  Evaluate! Evaluate!

Track your time on tasks.  See where you can improve.   At the end of the week, do a summary and evaluate.  See how much time you spent on each project.