How to Manage Your Time Effectively When You Work From Home

People often dream of how wonderful their life would be if only they could work from home. No more early morning commutes to get to work, no more expensive business lunches and best of all, no more grumpy colleagues to deal with! It is true that working from home does give you a great deal of personal freedom and room to move around. But there are some downsides to working from home as well, that should be considered before you hand in your resignation. Time management is a big issue that will need to be addressed early on if you hope to make a successful living.

How to manage your time effectively when you work from home #1 Plan how many hours you will work each day

When you work in a conventional work environment, you are fully aware of the hours you will be working each day, such as when you will be taking a break and when you will finish work each day. But this all changes when you start working from home. There is not the same pressing urgency to turn off the alarm when it goes off at 6:30am as you struggle to get up in the morning. Working from home gives you the freedom to plan your own hours. Will you start work at 10:00am or 3:00pm? Some people are more alert in the morning, in which case, it is a good idea to get up earlier and start work then. Others can only function properly later in the afternoon. You need to work out which category you fit into and then work at your most productive time, otherwise you will not be able to get as much done. I fit into both categories. Sometimes I can start work at the crack of dawn, other days, I wait until the afternoon or evening to start work.

How to manage your time effectively when you work from home #2 Let family and friends know of your usual "business" hours and stick to them

Some family and friends mistakenly think that when you start working from home that you are free to get together socially. Others think you can run errands for them as you are "not doing anything", or that you are the perfect candidate to babysit, while the parents go "to work". If you find yourself in this situation, you must explain that you work hard too, except that your office is at home, rather than 10 miles away. That means that between certain hours each week, you are not available to run errands or babysit. Your job is just as valid and as important as a person's who works outside the home. Of course, if you want to build a small window of opportunity during your typical work at home hours, then by all means do so. But just make sure that the hours you have set aside to work are not taken over by other responsibilities that you have taken on. A reasonable person will accept this.

How to manage your time effectively when you work from home #3 Dress for work

I know this can be hard to do, particularly if you like to lounge around in your pajamas all day long. But the chances are, if you dress as if you were going to the office, you will feel more like working. Lounging around while you work may be your style that is successful for you. If so, then that is your choice. But dressing for work can really help to motivate you to work. Staying in your pajamas may be all the excuse you need to get back into bed!

How to manage your time effectively when you work from home #4 Take breaks

It is easy to become so engrossed in your work that you forget to take breaks. Did this ever happen to you when you worked outside the home? You were probably more conscious of your need for a break then, than you are now that you have decided to start working from home. Working around comfortable surroundings can delude you into believing that you do not need as many breaks. But you still need to take a break. If your office is a separate room in the house, then move into another room and spend a few minutes doing something else. Take your eyes off the computer and do not skip meals just because you want to get ahead. This can lead to burnout.

How to manage your time effectively when you work from home #5 Do not neglect your family

Try to make sure that you are able to still find satisfaction in your work without neglecting your family. Some people choose to work from home so that they can spend more time with their family members. That is a commendable goal, but it would be counter productive if you then proceeded to put in 12 hours or more each day without seeing or interacting in a meaningful way with your family. It is by no means easy to achieve a balanced work and family life. But you can do it if you discuss this with your family and get their views on the matter. You can then take it from there.

Working from home can be a pleasurable experience for you. I absolutely love it. It is something I have wanted to do for a long time. I am fortunate that I have found some work at home opportunities that I am able to focus my energies on each week. My stress levels are much lower and I am satisfied with my work. So if you think working from home is for you, then go for it. You can help to make an unstructured working environment very structured and orderly by organizing your time effectively.