by Mariam Nundu

Created on: April 19, 2009   Last Updated: April 20, 2009

The decision to work from home is one that, increasingly, many people make. The current economic status is one of the reasons behind the increase number of people choosing or even forced to work from home. Other reasons exist too of course ranging from changes in personal health, career path and so forth.

The reasons may be different for each individual however the option to work from home has to be approached diligently in order for it to actually work.

Working from home may, at first glance, appear to be a very attractive and easy option from the traditional nine-to-five office work but beware. Appearance indeed can be deceiving for there is nothing easy about it as anyone who works from home will tell you. In fact many work from home businesses run by well meaning people collapse each year for this very reason.

One of the biggest reason for failure resulting from working from home is the belief that somehow working from home is more laid back from normal office work. This belief creates an attitude to work from home that ultimately results in less work, if any, done. It breeds failure, disappointments and frustration instead of success and progress.

In order to avoid this trap one must do the following:

1) Allocate a place for work Allocating a place for work means simply setting aside an area, which will be used as an office while you work from home. Try to avoid places filled with disruptions such as the dinning or sitting area whereby the Television and/or phone are in view.

It is absolutely paramount that the allocated space is as free from disruptions as possible. This is because we have trained our brains to be in a different mode when we are at home from the office. So if you are switching from office work to home, your brain will need to be accustomed to function on the 'work' mode while at home.

This is especially the case in the early days of working from home. Hence having an allocated place for work only in the home, a place away from disruptions will help you focus and function on the 'work' mode. Otherwise you run the risk of finding things to do (disruptions) such as cleaning, watching TV, phoning friends and such none of which are work related.

It also helps to have an actual room or study dedicated for the work while you are at home. If you do have enough space in your home then start by setting a room aside to act as your office. Decorate your place of work (whether it's a corner away from disruptions or a room) in a manner similar to a real office.

The

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next Page >>