Working from Home
- Key rules for operating from a Home Office -
In case you consider working from home - or are already doing so - here is some crucial advice on what you need and should do, and what are the possible pitfalls.
But first of all, look at a home office solution as a GREAT OPPORTUNITY, with the following advantages:
- maximize your available time by scrapping hours spent for commuting
- freedom to design your own work space as you like
- elevated grade of flexibility
- less direct control from your boss (if any)
- depending on the setup (and comparison variables), lower operating cost
Why can I comment on this topic - I have years of experience in different setups respectively:
a) corporate office (Consulting, Sales, Management)
b) 40% home office (Regional Management position)
c) 10% home office (Management Consulting role)
Working from home - let it be an online business, a consultant business, as an architect or any other creative or desk job, you must be aware that you will face combination of two important parts of your life under one roof: Family (or life partner) and Business!
You need to have or develop the right mindset in order to work efficiently, concentrated, disciplined and productively, without the family life and home surrounding limiting you in carrying out your job and vice versa.
Home and Business are usually separated, for good reasons, and many people need and enjoy such separation. But - once you are reading this - you (have the plan to) work from home and want to create an excellent setup for your business, without any interferences. Most people working from home have difficulties adjusting to this (new) scenario of private life and business "competing" in the same location. However, following some key rules for creating a professional "work place" will make your life easier, will let you work most effectively.
Plan!
Have a close look at the requirements attached to your job.
What is it you really need? A calm space to make numerous telephone calls a day; a wide space where you can put up design boards; a work desk and electronic equipment? Your required work hours - day or night? What about the "consumables", monthly office supply? Storage space?
Draft up a complete plan of
a) definite requirements
b) nice-to-have add-ons
Do the number crunching first, research on cost involved to buy equipment, interior and office supply, or whatever is necessary to operate your business. Here also outsourcing, office address (e.g. office centers) may come into the picture. Do not make assumptions, really get into detail in the planning phase, in order to avoid surprises.
Once you will have created your complete plan and list of requirements, having checked (financial) feasibility, go into the next steps and "build your office".
Find the right work area and create "your" inspiring atmosphere
This might sound simple - but in fact this is a very important and even sometimes difficult task.
Carefully plan and choose the most suitable part or room of your house/apartment before making other choices.
Here are some points to consider which might help you making or correcting your choice:
- Atmosphere:
It should be a nice, friendly and bright area (depending on your personality), with ambient light year-round. Make sure you have windows letting in enough light - and possibly with a nice (inspiring) view. You can enhance the atmosphere by putting up additional lights.
Further, put up some plants if you wish, and decorate the walls with some pictures - possibly relevant to your job. Remark: do no design a "second living room"!
Try not to overload the area/room - enjoy the space you chose and create a healthy and airy atmosphere.
- Location:
The location within your apartment or house is another important aspect.
Try to avoid noisy or busy areas that could interfere with your concentration and work. If you need to make business phone calls, make sure that nothing can distract you. Many choose a home office in order to be "closer to the family". However, having small children "next door" may not be appropriate for some home offices and the business involved! You - and your family - can easily get distracted.
However, choose a location within your house or apartment that you feel is convenient. Again, this sounds very simple, but be serious about this point as well. You might find that the attic is the perfect combination of all the aforesaid and therefore the right solution, but if access by ladder makes it complicated, you might end up sitting with your laptop on the living room couch - worst case. Think about options; can you convert a room or even your garage (...this is how Bill Gates started), build in a separation wall for example.
Depending on your family situation and available rooms and space in your apartment you might have to make tough choices. Although some can arrange their work space in a corner of a room or even in the kitchen or a corridor, it is highly advisable to look for a permanent, separate - even small - room, as long as you like the atmosphere. The lesser distraction you face, the better your work and output will be. Again, it is necessary to see the home office as your place of work. Be professional and do not look at this from the convenience point of view!
Remark: Depending on your country`s legislation, a dedicated home office room may qualify you for tax deduction.
Less is more; Get organized
Stick to this principle. Depending on your type of business you will need a set of furniture, lighting, extra air conditioning, communication equipment, other office equipment as printers, copy machines etc., storage space. However, do not overload your work space (as the space might be limited), look for smart solutions of how to create an efficient work place. If you feel crammed - this will show in your tendency how long you want to actually stay in your office and whether you enjoy working from home. Further, especially if you are working over the phone as well, having some walking space is important. Most management consultants and sales professionals know that standing up (at a desk) whentalking over the phone will raise your voice and let you focus, and let you sound more energetic and professional. Sitting on your couch will reflect in your - more relaxed - voice.
Move everything that is not related to your work as far away as possible or curtain it off - again, avoid distractions and create an open and organized atmosphere. You are pursuing a professional work and need that professional environment.
Think about your work flow - what will be the key tasks you will be carrying out. Working on the computer, making numerous phone calls per day, drawingsomething up on a board, copying, et cetera. Arrange your desk, other equipment and utensils in the best possible way. This is a great opportunity as you can optimize your time compared to a corporate office where you might have to cue for the copier or walk to the next room to pick up your printouts. Be smart and creative.
Be the Office Manager!
Make sure that all electronic equipment is well arranged and set up properly. Think about maintenance of your equipment - what happens if your printer breaks down?
Manage your office supplies. You may either want to stock some supply of the most crucial materials (e.g. printer ink, copy paper, pens, even ground coffee or your favorite beverage) for a certain time frame. I suggest a month`s supply, and check on your stock regularly. You are responsible, so be smart and manage your needed supply wisely.
In this respect, providing for sufficient storage space (shelves, cabinets, boxes) is important, too. Consider this during the planning phase already. Do not store your necessary work material in the attic or the basement - try to find or create some space in your home office. You might be in a hurry to print out a presentation or contract, and having your stock of paper two levels upstairs would not be convenient!
Routine, Dedication, Discipline & Productivity
Now you are all set:
- You found an appropriate space/ room
- You have created the right professional atmosphere and an efficient set-up
- You are able to plan and manage your necessary supplies
This is the time when you can actually dive into your business, part time or full time, whatever it is you have planned to do from your professional home office.
But the appropriate home office alone does not make your business a success. As mentioned earlier, the right mindset is key to working efficiently from home. The home office setup is only the underlying base to provide for the best possible and flexible work atmosphere.
My advice to you:
Be clear about your mission, what is it you want to achieve in your home business job?
Create a game plan and make sure that you follow a certain routine as you would if working from a corporate office. This includes
- Being there on time and setting schedules
This is an underestimated point for many. Be diligent and make choices you can justify. You have the great opportunity to work from home, so start at least (!) as early as you would in a corporate office. Maybe you also want to consider the choice to even start at the time you usually left home to commute to your former office - you can spend even more time on your job or business to make it successful. Managing and maximizing your effective work time is crucial!
However, do not work as a maniac, as you now have everything you need available next door. Focus on a suitable and smart schedule. I do not suggest to work overnight regularly, if your job only requires a 9-5 schedule.
- Communicate!
Working from a home office means limited face-to-face interaction with colleagues. I advise not to lock yourself into your home office for 8 or 10 hours a day and write white papers. Do whatever is required to maximize the output in your job or home business. But take your time to communicate. Call your friends whom you usually went out with for lunch, or allocate the time to meet up with someone for a coffee break around the corner. Running a business from home does not mean that you separate yourself from the world.
- Not getting distracted by listening to music, talking to your children, answering the door for private visitors, surfing the web for private amusement, et cetera.
- Take breaks
Even you are not accustomed to taking lunch alone, without any colleagues from the office; find a routine to manage your breaks. Be sure to take coffee and/or lunch breaks, to recharge your energy.
- Cleaning and organizing
Make sure you reserve some time to keep your office clean and organized - different from a corporate office there might not be anyone but you now taking care of these chores.
- Appreciate the reasons for choosing the Home Office
Working from home is not yet the most commonly followed modi operandum. However it is a trend, and reasons for making the choice (if it is/was your`s) are versatile. Make yourself clear what the positive reasons are to work from home. Pin them up at the wall, if you need to. You may run into frustration, maybe missing the corporate office environment. Home office may or may not be the right choice for you. But again, if there was a pull factor to plan and create a home office, remind yourself of the positive decision factors, the aticipated pros. If it was the long commuting during rush hours, remind yourself of the stress you had in the past. Or if your employer asked you to open a new office in a new city
- Get your family or partner "behind" you!
Working from a home office has various impacts - on you, your work, your schedule, and on your family or partner, sharing the same house or apartment. It will be a big change if you are "home" every day, not leaving for work and returning back 10 hours later. This may have some positive aspects, but also some negative ones. Others and yourself may have difficulties adjusting to this new situation. Bring your family or partner "behind" you, discuss the necessity of the home office solution, the benefits. And thank others for their understanding and patience, respecting your decision for the home office set-up
.
After all, if you are very disciplined and can follow certain basic rules, working from home should turn out successfully for you, of course largely depending on the job or business model you follow.
Any questions and remarks..... comment on my Blog.
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