Many meeting planners have done it -- some for just a few days, others full-time. Thanks to technology, working from a home office has become a viable option for many, but one that presents its own challenges. If you've ever commuted to work by strolling over to your computer -- or hope to do so one day -- here are 10 tips to keep you on track.
1. Make a daily plan. Yes, working from a home office can present distractions. But you've got a job like anyone else, and quite simply, you have to get things done. It's important to set a list of daily goals each morning in order to stay focused. What do you want to accomplish? What projects will you tackle, and in what order?
Establishing goals and benchmarks will help you create a daily routine, and is key to ensuring and enhancing productivity in a home office setting.
2. Create a workspace. Your home office has to be just that -- an office. Create a space in your home for work, and use it only for that purpose.
If you have a spare bedroom, use it. If not, do other things to ensure that your office is someplace separate. The area you set aside for your desk should be an area just for work. If your desk is in the family room or basement, then a divider can provide the needed separation. If you can't do that, then set things up so that your files are put away -- and out of sight -- at the end of the day.
However you do it, the bottom line is this: Make sure there is a distinct boundary between your living area and your work area. Otherwise, you won't develop the sense that you are really "working" at home.
3. Be flexible. It's okay to take some private time here and there. Working at home often involves a balancing act between family and work, and it's easier to balance if you don't feel guilty about doing what's necessary.
You may find that you're working hours that are quite different from that of a typical office environment. In my case, I start work at 5:30 a.m., take a break between 8 and 8:45 to have breakfast with my children and wife, and then go back to work. I'll have a quick lunch and then head to the gym at 3 or 4 p.m. I'm still getting in a very productive day, even though I'm working odd hours.
In the early years, I'd feel guilty about not sticking to a 9-to-5 routine, but then I realized I'm working just as much as on-site employees -- so it's okay to do it at my own pace.
4. Set boundaries. After the workday is done, shut the office door.
I still find it a challenge. Walking past my home office, I think there might be a new e-mail message, phone call, or fax. Sometimes I'll walk in, and before I know it, I'm immersed in work again.
Recruit family members to help you out. My children were taught that most days I could quit at a certain time, unless I had major deadlines. They would appear in the home office at the designated time -- and escort me out!
But likewise, you've got to teach your family the boundaries. My sons have learned that if the office door is closed, it means that I'm busy and not to be disturbed. We've instilled in them the rules of the home office from day one -- and you'll need to do it with your own family as well.
5. Change the scenery. In your home office, you'll have a desk -- ;but that doesn't mean you have to do all your work there. I've found that sometimes I'll get a burst of productivity by moving to a new location. I wrote several of my books while sitting in a recliner in front of the fireplace. Other times, I'll bring work out to the backyard. Don't feel guilty about working outside on a beautiful day.
6. Educate your co-workers. Working at home means that you are in the vanguard of a workplace revolution. And the simple fact is, your co-workers might not understand. All too often, people who don't work at home think that those who are, aren't really working. You need to educate them. For your own sanity, you've got to stress, diplomatically, that you are working as hard as they are -- you are just doing so in a different setting.
7 .Talk to your mailman. When you work at home, make sure you replace water-cooler chitchat with something else. Get out and talk to people. It's important to your attitude, and critical to your productivity.
I know more about my neighbors than I ever have before, since now they are part of my social interactions throughout the day. Quite simply, I've built into my routine all kinds of social activity, recognizing that this is important for my emotional well-being and overall productivity.
8. Appreciate the rewards. Realize that you've got the best of both worlds -- you've got a career, and you get to spend time with your family. According to statistics, the average person spends almost six months of his life stuck in traffic. As a non-commuter, you get to invest that time in other things -- family time, personal time, cooking dinner, working out at the gym. Recognize that by working in a home office, you are recovering the most precious gift of all: time.
9. Smell (or see) the flowers. Take the time to create a home office environment that will drive you to get results, as well as allow you to enjoy your work. This might mean investing in a great office chair, buying a compact stereo for your desktop, or putting a flower box or bird feeder outside your window. Being in a great mood does wonderful things for your overall productivity.
10. Have a laugh. Recognize that the whole trend toward home work is not an aberration -- it is part of an overall shift in the economic landscape. I remember being on the phone one day, in the midst of an important call. One of my sons came running into the office, screaming, because he had banged his finger. I frantically tried to quiet him down while trying to maintain my phone composure.
The woman at the other end started laughing. "I'm working at home too," she said, "and my six-month-old is sleeping on my lap!"
The fact is, there are a lot of us out there. We're in the midst of a revolution, and you should be thrilled to be a part of it.