A lot of people dream of working from home. They can create their own hours, work in their pajamas and never miss an episode of their favorite show. However, working from home is not that easy. When you only have to be accountable to yourself, you have to be extra careful about things you don’t usually think about.
Schedule Meal Breaks
It is easy to start thinking about lunch at 10 a.m. when you work from home. You may think, “Hey, I’ll get lunch out of the way now. I’ll be more productive later.” Wrong. You will probably just eat more later because you can be to your kitchen in just a few steps. Eat breakfast before work, lunch around noon and dinner once you’ve finished.
Schedule Chores
Schedule the chores that you have time for during lunch break or the evening, and don’t overdo it. Sometimes, you may be tempted to do a thing you usually hire someone else for because you’re home anyway. It’s work time. Whether it’s hiring commercial movers or calling a plumber, don’t do it if you have to work and can afford help.
Schedule Work
Don’t just sit down at your desk everyday with a plan to do some stuff that has to do with work. Know what you mean to get done every day. Write it down. Stick to it.
Keep Work and Personal Time Separate
It might be difficult to do, but you are going to have to learn to ignore things like personal calls when you are working, even though you have no boss to yell at you. Likewise, you’re going to have to stop replying to work emails at family reunions. This will allow you to have a more balanced life.
Don’t Work Just Because You Can
Learn to walk by your laptop without doing some work just because you’re at work all the time. Leave it if you’ve finished your scheduled work for the day.
Eliminate Distractions
It is easy to get distracted when you work from home. Tell your spouse that the kids stay out or you’re taking your laptop to the library. Turn off your television, unless you just have it for background noise and are honestly not distracted. Turn off your phone if you have to.
Have a Home Office, Even If It’s the Corner of Your Kitchen
Having a workspace gets you in work mode. Also, you can write off any area in your house that is used exclusively for work on your taxes. Just make sure you really don’t ever use it for anything else, even storage.
Get to Know Your Taxes, Savings and Retirement Plans Intimately
Your boss isn’t going to offer you a 401K. You’re no longer getting W-2s. You have to figure out how to save, file taxes and get ready for retirement all by yourself. Of course, you can hire a tax professional to help, but you’ll still need to understand self-employment rules.
Shop Around for Insurance
You’re on your own when it comes to insurance when you’re self-employed. Make sure to shop around for the best deal.
Exercise
As a person who works from home, you are going to miss out on little bursts of exercise, such as walking to your car in the morning. If you don’t make up for this, you are going to get unhealthy fast. Take a walk on your break or go to the gym before work. Just do something.
Don’t Always Work From Home
Get out of the house during work hours sometimes, but make sure to work. Take your laptop to the library, a coffee shop or even the park.
Network From Home
Don’t work in a vacuum. Network with other people in your industry and potential clients on social media. It’s a great way to socialize a bit during work hours.
Tell People You are Working . . . Seriously
Some people don’t get that you are working when you are at home. You have to be firm with them. Explain that they have to pretend you are in an office building with rules during your scheduled work hours. They can’t just come over or whine at you until you take a two-hour lunch with them.
Listen to Music
You listen to music when you workout. Plenty of offices play music. It’s shown to help people be more productive. Play some music at home while you work to set the right mood and pace for your day.
