Adjusting to a Work-at-Home Lifestyle

How often have you dreamt of working from home? If you're like most of us, you picture yourself waking at your leisure, enjoying a five second commute, and working in your pajamas. While these things can all be part of a successful work-at-home lifestyle, many people who are new to at-home work are unprepared for the stress they feel. If you are considering switching from an on-site job to a work-at-home position, here are some things that will help you adjust:

#1 - Set a work schedule. One of the major appeals of from working from home is the freedom of not having a boss look over your shoulder, but someone has to make sure things will get done and that someone is you. It's fine to be flexible and plan your schedule around appointments and other activities, but make sure you allow yourself adequate time for both quantity and quality of work. Set goals, break them into small steps, and decide when and how you will accomplish those steps.

#2 - Organize. While having a home office away from the clamor of the household is ideal, some at-home workers don't have this luxury and must make do with a desk in the corner of the kitchen. Regardless of where you work in your home, set up your workspace so all the items you need for your work are close at hand and records needed for your business and taxes will not get lost in the shuffle of everyday life.

#3 - Build a professional support network. If you're working for a company in an at-home capacity, you may have online or phone support available through them. If you're in business for yourself, it will be up to you to make contacts and build your own support network. It's important to have people in your field you can trust with your questions, especially when you're first starting out and the day-to-day details often seem overwhelming.

#4 - Plan for isolation. Although you may have longed for the day you could say good-bye to know-it-all, gossipy co-workers, chances are you'll soon discover you miss the social aspects of working on-site. When you work at home you miss out on the potlucks, the birthday parties, the softball teams, and finding out who-did-what last weekend. It will be essential for you to arrange regular get-togethers with family and friends to keep you feeling connected to the world. Some at-home workers also find having a pet does wonders to keep feelings of isolation at bay.

#5 - Prepare for interruptions. One major pitfall of working from home is that when family members see your body sitting in a chair, they assume that body can be used to help them run errands, assist in yard projects, or make a snack. Your family, as well as your friends, may express anger and resentment when you don't drop everything to help them. Discuss your work schedule with your family and friends in advance and ask for their cooperation. If they still don't respect your work time, you will need to make it clear that this is not a negotiable matter.

Making the adjustments to succeed in a work-at-home career can be challenging, but the rewards are well worth the effort.