Tips on working from home

These days – many businesses are run from home – whether it’s a separate room, a garden office or a corner of the kitchen table.
 
Balancing work within the home environment can often be difficult – especially if you’re juggling home and family responsibilities around your business.
 
Create a balance between home and work by having a structure to your day.  This will ensure work gets done while enjoying the flexibility of working from home.
 
Create an “office”.  Clear a space that you can truly call your office.  If you run your entire business from home, it’s likely you’ll have a specific room as your office.
 
- Does it look like your office?
- Does it reflect your business?
- Do you have everything you need to hand?
 
Perhaps it also doubles as a spare room, junk room or storage area.  Is it neatly arranged or are you surrounded by boxes and other clutter?  If your work environment is not conducive to work – you’re more likely to get distracted.
 
What could you do to improve your work environment?
 
Keep office hours.  While you can be flexible with your working day, don’t be tempted to blur the lines between your work life and your home life too much.  Take breaks during the day for ‘home’ life, but place a time limit around these.  Set a fixed start and end time for your working day.
 
Think about why you have chosen to work from home instead of working in an office.  If you want to have a day or half day a week when you don’t work, book it in your diary at the beginning of the week or month.
 
Set boundaries around your time.  Have an answer machine you switch on outside of office hours.
 
Just because the phone rings - you don’t have to answer it immediately.
Just because an email arrives in your inbox - you don’t have to reply to it immediately.
 
Schedule time each day to attend to these tasks and you’ll be using your time more effectively.
 
Don’t get into the habit of working all hours - late into the evening or on weekends just because your office is at home.
 
If you’re in your office – you are working.  If you get distracted, take a break and then get back into work mode.  Be mindful of other people around you – if you’re at home, they may ignore the fact you’re working.  Explain when you can and can’t be disturbed.
 
Set boundaries from the start and it will make it easier for everyone.
 
Keep a perspective on your work life balance.  If you only want to work four days a week, so you get to spend more time with your family, do it!  If you only want to work 9-5 plan your week accordingly.
 
Enjoy working at home and don’t let it become a burden.
 
Get in touch if you’d like more ideas.

By Clare Evans, Time Management Coach

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk