by Meaghan Louise

Created on: February 11, 2007   Last Updated: June 22, 2009

Separating home life and business life can be difficult at the best of times, but working from home can make this even more challanging.The lines between work and family can easily become blurred. This defeats the purpose of working from home. Didn't you choose to work from home to have more time for family and friends. To be more relaxed, to become a more rounded person?

Working from home doesn't mean that you have to work around the clock. Although the temptation is there. Here are a few hints to make sure that your home life and work life balance out....

# Have a set work space. Even if it's your kitchen table. Treat it like your office during the hours you choose to work. Pack it up and put it away at the end of the day/night or whenever it is you choose to work.

#Set your break times. A good rule is 15 minutes for every three hours you work. A little more often if you are sitting at a computer staring at the screen. Set a kitchen timer or your alarm clock.Some computer programs will send you little reminders when its time to start your break if you take a few minutes to set them up.

# When you do take a break, remove yourself from this space, go sit outside or just in another room to have your morning tea, lunch or coffee break.

# Set your work hours. They don't have to be nine to five. But whatever hours you set, don't exceed them unless you have to. Let family and friends know what they are and let the answering machine take all personal calls. You can return these in your break to help keep you socially connected.

# Don't be tempted to watch t.v. during your break.Work on your hobby. Read a book or magazine that interests you. Go for a walk around the block.Phone a friend for a gossip. Do something with your kids. Return personal emails, sit in the sun with a cool drink (not alcohol during work hours), make yourself a healthy lunch and eat slowly, enjoying all the flavours of the food. Do anything that feels like you are pampering yourself, just so long as it doesn't exceed your allotted break time.

These are just a few tips. I'm sure you can come up with more....

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