by Philip Lop

Created on: September 20, 2010   Last Updated: May 08, 2012

When faced with the opportunity to work from home, permanently or otherwise, many employees seize the opportunity to introduce some flexible working into their schedule. The benefits to employees and businesses alike are plentiful, but after that initial rush of enthusiasm, many individuals find their home a difficult environment to work in. The distractions of other people in the house, coupled with the nagging lure of all those jobs that need doing, can often erode productivity and job satisfaction.

Few people appreciate that home working is an entirely new environment, which requires a whole new level of self-discipline, time management and organizational skills and the fact is that it just won’t suit everybody. But for those who are committed to the benefits, here are some useful tools to help ensure that when you work from home, you really work from home.

Arrange your work space

When employees first start to work from home, they realize how much they previously underestimated the value of having a designated environment in which to work. Psychologically when you are ‘at work’ your mind is able to focus better on the task at hand and this can be the first major challenge when working from home. You can manage this by ensuring that you create an appropriate place to work at home. Ideally, this should be a separate room that you can consider your office, with plenty of space, good lighting and ventilation, and in a position that minimizes distractions. Some home workers believe that they can simply work off their laptop sat on the sofa, but this is a recipe for disaster. Don’t be afraid to invest in new office furniture and accessories. Your employer might even help you with the costs of this. A really comfortable chair is extremely important and needs to conform to the sort of ergonomics you’d get in a normal office. Most importantly, your work space must be in a room where you can close the door. This is useful whilst you are working but also when you have finished, so that you can psychologically close the door on your working day and not feel as though you should carry on or pick up again later.

Create an appropriate work environment

Ensure that you are comfortable with your work environment. Create a work space that you enjoy spending time in and don’t be frightened to decorate or add plants and gadgets that cheer you up. It is really important to establish the sort of routines that you enjoyed when you were in the

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