Working at home
What’s the secret behind working from home?
Really, what’s the secret behind working from home and staying on task?
I don’t have a job that allows me to work from home. Frankly, there’s too much collaboration with other people in my office that it wouldn’t work.
But one semester in college, I did an individual studio where I “worked from home.”
Riiiiight.
I set up my spare bedroom with tables and all my architecture supplies. I put extra lighting in there and kept out all distractions.
Riiiiight.
I rarely used the space. When I did work from home, I ended up doing my work on my kitchen table. And even then it was difficult to get anything done.
To me, it felt wrong to mix “work” with “home.” I associate a strong sense of relaxation with being at home, and work doesn’t seem to fit into that picture.
But I know people who can do it! Steven works from home every once in a while. A few friends do it all the time.
What’s the secret? Is it some sort of discipline I am yet to learn? Or is it just a personality thing?
Themocracy
I would love the opportunity to work at home – just so I wouldn’t have to deal with the commute and be able to stay in my PJs! My job doesn’t isn’t really condusive to work at home, tho. The Husband does it occasionally and he stays pretty much on task. It’s impressive. I guess he knows that the work needs to get done no matter where he’s working from.
definitely a bit of both discipline and personality! My sis-in-law works almost full-time from home,,, and that’s with three kids to keep an eye on (two are now of school-going age, so that helps a lot!). I know I’d “cheat” during my supposed work time if I were in that situation 😀 I imagine being well organized is also key, and that isn’t quite me either.
But to not have to commute! And deal with snarky co-workers!! That would be a slice of heaven! 🙂
i’ve worked from home a couple times but mostly when i am sick so the work i get done is few and far between. i don’t think i would be very good at the working from home gig. it’s isolating and i like interaction. and besides, some days when i am actually at work i don’t feel like i accomplish much. . . hmmm, it’d be the same then working from home! 😉
It is an adjustment, I can tell you that for sure!
The most important thing in my opinion is to have a designated work space that is set apart (preferably in another room) from your “relaxation” space. Part of the reason I moved was that my living room served as my office and unless I was sleeping I always felt like I was in the same room all day long.
It is very important, too, to leave the house at least for lunch, or you start to get a bit of cabin fever!
I was very lonely the first couple months, but since I am on the phone with people all day it really doesn’t bother me as much anymore.
As for staying on task…well, when bosses start asking why projects aren’t done, you pretty quickly learn to stay on task! 😉 (I also like that I have far fewer interruptions from other people than I did in the office, which actually makes it a little easier to focus)
i would so love to work from home… my job doesn’t require me to interact with my one and only (office) co-worker… we would have to “update” our office though but that wouldn’t be such a bad thing… (when i started in 2004 we didn’t even have computers, i had to use a typewriter!!!)… as far as staying on task though, that is a little more difficult… i have a hard time staying on task when i’m working at home at night when i get home from work… it seems that there’s always something to distract me… tv, sleeping, the kitties…
I don’t like working from home. It messes up things and it’s too easy to procrastinate. But my studio is upstairs, and a couple businesses online.. I’m sort of pot snarking on the kettle over here. And hey, lookie! I’m procrastinating right now!
It’s harder with kids around!
But I have found that my biggest issue with working from home is that I can’t seem to stop to have “home time.” There isn’t that clock to punch out at the end of the day. For someone like me that has a hard time relaxing – it’s beginning to be a problem. I really have to force myself to stop working.
I have a hard enough time working at work. I sure as hell can’t work from home. I end up playing Madden or surfing the Net most of the time.
Gina (Mannyed) – avoiding the commute would be the best benefit of working from home for me. And being in PJs and being with Data…
*lynne* – I think I would cheat as well, hee hee hee…
sizzle – ha ha. You bring up a good point – how productive are we at work anyway? Ha ha ha!!!
diane – I was thinking that having a separate space would be a big help to working from home and staying on task. And I think some days I would like the isolation! But not all the time. 😉
CourtneyInControl – Its so easy to get distracted! When I am at home during the day I feel like I should clean or something!
Kyra – Hee hee hee. You’re the perfect example! 😉
Jodi – That is one thing I would worry about – never turning off work time and always feeling stressed about it! I like to leave my work issues at work.
ajooja – ha ha “I have a hard enough time working at work.” hee hee hee 🙂
My opinion is that discipline and personality both play into work-at-home success.
The only times I’ve worked from home have been due to illness or when I was working on my own time to catch up on projects. I agree with those who say that having a separate work space (preferably with a door) is key.
I’m generally more productive when working from home as I don’t have as many “pop-ins” or receive as many phone calls.
Another huge bonus of working remotely: no meetings. I’ve rarely had to phone in to a meeting. When I’m in the office, meetings take up a third of my time.
Loneliness wouldn’t be a problem for me because I enjoy being by myself and sometimes work better that way. As long as I had an opportunity to go into the office if needed for collaboration and on-site meetings, I’d be in heaven.
I’d love to work from home but probably won’t be able to do so any time soon. When I think of the time and money saved on gas, automobile wear and tear, dry cleaning, restaurant lunches, gallons of coffee – where do I sign up? 🙂
lcmotorist – that is another factor for us commuters – all the money we would save! Even with public transit, bringing lunch, and like you said – dry cleaning – it all adds up!
When I used to work at home I actually got more done in the first four hours of the day than I would normally do in a full eight in the office. Oh, and WAY more than most people I worked with would get done in a couple of days.
Lisa – because of no distractions? I suppose that is one of the best parts of working from home! 😉
Personally, I think it’s a personality thing because I don’t think I’d ever be able to stay on task.
Unless, you know, I could work for 5 minutes, take an hour off to watch Oprah, work 5 minutes, hour for King of Queens, work five minutes, hour for American Idol…
God I hope I’m a decent mother.
Ask these successful work from homers if any of them have a blogging habit like you and I. Therein will lie the answer to your question.
I stay home and I just can’t peel myself away from my computer. And, no, not doing worthwhile things like work either.
I work from home occasionally and I actually get more done than I do in the office. I think it is because I feel guilty about being able to work in PJ’s…..so I get on task and finish everything I need to before doing home stuff (because let’s get real, when working from home you do all that stuff that you would normally do at home too). However, I don’t think I would like to do it full time…I would miss the social interaction of an office.