Working from home!

The idea of working from home is attractive, but the reality can be quite challenging. Today I’d like to share with you a list of my tips on working from home, making the most of your time and avoiding distraction and being side tracked.

– Setting up a dedicated work space that can be closed off from the rest of the house can made a huge difference to productivity. As nice as it is to share your work space with the rest of the family having your own space makes it easier to concentrate on your ‘work’.

– Choose an inspiring space or make it inspiring. Being locked in a closet with no natural light or airflow can make it difficult to be enthusiastic about being their for long periods of time. Natural lighting for me is very important it may not be so important to you but at least ensure your space is well lit.

– Keep your space organised. Being able to put your hands on things quickly will mean you’ll be more productive, rather than spending half the day looking for something (this doesn’t mean it has to be in perfect order at all times).

– Don’t turn on the TV! Once that box goes on you’ll loose yourself in distraction after distraction. You’d be much better off playing music for background noise instead.

– The same can be said for surfing the net & social networking activities. Limiting your time spent on tasks that are not related to your current task at hand will enable you to achieve more in less time.

– Set yourself times for work, play & housework, don’t try to juggle all three at the same time.

– Get dressed for work, you don’t need to put on a suit or heels, but getting out of your pajama’s or tracksuit and putting on something you’d be comfortable stepping out of the house in will help you feel more productive.

– Set yourself days and time slots for certain tasks. For me, I generally dedicate an entire work day to production tasks like restoring furniture, painting, screen printing etc… and separate days for financials, administration tasks or writing. For instance, I dress differently for production tasks as I find it hard to come inside and just sit at a computer with paint and the like all over my clothes and not be conscious about leaving a trail in an otherwise clean office environment

– Find people to connect with outside your home on a regular basis. I’m not just talking about the regimented business networking breakfasts held once a week, although that may suit you just fine, for most people though they can be daunting. What I mean is, get yourself out there and meet other micro business owners, boutique shop owners, your local café owners, fellow artists, crafters and designers. People you can run ideas by, ask advice of or get recommendations from for services etc. Building a network like this can help keep you enthusiastic about pushing forward, spur ideas on new directions or ways of creating different income streams and simply keep you sane. Working from home can be lonely, if you let it be.

In the end, the luxury of working from home comes at a price. If you don’t actually put time into working then you won’t reap the rewards of your efforts. The hardest thing to get used to about working from home, especially if you are your own boss, is that there is noone there to check up on you or hold you accountable for what you have not completed. It’s up to you!

by marie-nicole

Ps. The images I have included in this post are of my studio space and surroundings which inspire me daily. There is my studio workspace is full of repurposed furniture and the shelving is made up of old painters trestles and planks. On a beautiful day I often set up a temporary office outside under a tree and share that space with some of our pets.

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