As with most things in life, I have experienced the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to working from home.  The Ugly I will leave to your imagination but here are some of the good and the bad.

The lines can be blurred.

·        Don’t have to get dressed to go to work – Good  :), but also Bad when I feel I am living in my PJ’s and dressing gown or track pants.

·        Being home enables me to get a few household chores done – Good :), but also Bad, as this then distracts me from my work and I can lose a lot of time not being focused on the JOB and may have to work later to make up for the time lost.

·        Getting so much done without the distractions of work colleagues and bosses – Good :), but also Bad as sometimes you get so engrossed in what you are working on you forget to take regular breaks, eat or even stop working.
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My work from home tips would include:

·        Get dressed for work and travel to the office.  In my case this is actually going to an office separated from the house. The daily traffic can be distracting though – my cat is often waiting for me on the stairs and I have to stop for a cuddle so I leave a couple of minutes early so I am not late.  Personally, I also found that if I get dressed for work, I feel like I am going to work and it puts me in a work frame of mind.  It also lifts my spirits to get a little dressed up each day.
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·        Try to have a dedicated work space – this cuts down on my being distracted by household chores or happenings.  It also puts you into what I call “My Work Mode”.
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·        Take regular breaks, go for a quick stroll outside, pat the cat or dog, make a coffee but get a way from the desk.
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·        Try to stick to a regular work pattern, 8.30am to 5pm with a half an hour lunch break.  I know when it is time to finish for the day as my cat comes into my office and demands to be fed.
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·        Another thing I found about working from home is that I sometimes found myself getting isolated from people in general.  Make sure you keep in contact with the outside.  Call friends, make those coffee dates, keep your weekends free (if you can) to fit in those important family times.  Also join those groups, either business or personal just to make sure you keep in touch with the outside world.   It is all too easy to stay isolated at home and too focused on WORK alone.  Don’t be ALONE all the time!
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·        Have an enjoyable space to work in.  Have a good desk, a comfortable chair and everything you need to be happy at work. I have my stereo and TV because I like the background noise.

All in all, I have found working from home suits me very well, and I make sure I stick to my Work / Home Life balance.   The best part of it all is that I don’t have to sit in the Car Park called the Auckland Motorway for hours on end and can be more productive with both parts of my life.

My office ...

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My distraction on the way to work ...

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Thanks

Bernie

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