Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Working at HOME how to MAKE IT WORK!

Working at HOME! Is it what it's cracked-up to be? YOU BETCHA! Coffee from your own coffee pot, breakfast, lunch and dinner with your family, home when you are NEEDED, spending time in the Jacuzzi that you USED to spend commuting.... yes, it's ALLLLL good.

There IS a CATCH, however...... and MEN have an especially hard time dealing with this "catch". Ya gotta WORK when you are at home, doing your "home office" thing! Sounds obvious, but it's so tempting to stop for 30 minutes to do this, and stop for an hour to do that, and run a few errands, and before you do it, the day is shot and little-to-no work has been done!

I can honestly say I've not struggled (much) with this issue. Before I began working from home, I "read-up" and worked on tactics that make the likelihood of success far greater.

Here are PHIL'S TIPS for "Success Working From Home":
  1. Create a workspace that is absolutely, positively designated for your work. NOT the kitchen table, NOT the recliner in the family room with your laptop... if you have a spare room then capture it, and turn it into your office. DON'T FOOL AROUND with this one; paint it like an office, decorate it like an office, and equip it like an office. Once you go through that door in the morning, you are "at work". (By the way... the I.R.S. absolutly requires that any space you claim as "Home Office" on your taxes must be fully dedicated to your employeement.)
  2. "GO to WORK". That's right; get up early, shower, shave (men...*grin*), get dressed and "go to the office". This is far more important for men than women typically. Women seem to be able to get work done in their fluffy slippers and robe, but not men.
  3. Get the family to cooperate. They MUST allow you to work. Put a sign on your door, or close the door if necessary to make the point that you are truly working, and that your ability to earn a living depends on their cooperation.
  4. No, you CAN'T have your game system hooked up in your office. You just can't, because I SAID SO. *grin* (Honestly, do you think anyone BELIEVES you are actually working in there if your game system is hooked up?
Working at home has changed my life, and my wife's life, completely. It is a total blessing from God to be able to work from home. I treat it as a sacred trust!

FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A COMMENT, OK?

2 comments:

  1. Pastor Phil PopineauJanuary 12, 2010 at 12:35 PM

    Phil, You hit the nail on the head. Great words for the home as a work place. I loved it!

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  2. Phil, you are SO right. Stop for a half hour to do this, another 15 minutes for that...
    I've taken to writing a "Daily List", which is a basic list of what I do and from what time to what time. I just started it today and time will see how it goes. I can say that so far so good, as the list keeps me on task.

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