Do you like working from home?
20 May 2013
Read by 1835 persons
If, like me, you have spent most of your professional life working in a traditional office, transitioning to a home office can be difficult.
Whether by choice or necessity, working from home brings new challenges to your professional and private lives. Often, the line between the two is blurred and can cause discomfort, or even conflict. If you find yourself having to work from home for a long period of time, I invite you to follow these tips that I have personally found very helpful.
Create a bubble
In theory, changing your workplace shouldn't affect your work ethic. However, working from your favorite sofa while petting your cat can lead to a certain comfort that may not be suitable for a productive workspace. Not to mention that letting work invade your personal space can exacerbate the feeling of not being able to detach from it, even when you're resting at home. Ideally, you should be able to separate these two spaces as clearly as possible. If you have the space to create a home office, it is imperative to opt for this solution. Even a corner of your room will suffice as long as the space is used exclusively for your work. Your workspace shouldn't be boring or uncomfortable; it's simply important to distinguish it from the space reserved for your private life.
Don't compromise
Just because your office is now at home doesn't mean you should necessarily do housework during your working hours. When I started working from home, my wife and I were in the middle of fairly major renovations. Although my presence at home would have easily allowed me to quickly complete these renovations, my professional life was often disrupted. After strenuous efforts to try to balance the two, it was clear that I had to clearly separate my professional and personal goals. Your mere physical presence at home does not justify undertaking household chores during your working hours. In fact, you should act as if you were going to work in an outside office.
Stop working
Studies have shown that employees who work from home typically have better performance than those who do the same work in a traditional office space. Due to limited human interaction, it is much easier to focus on work and complete assigned tasks. Moreover, when working from home, you often take fewer breaks and end up working longer hours. Even if it seems a little unnatural, working longer hours is common among those who have their office at home. While it's true that your professional life will certainly benefit, your private life, on the other hand, may well suffer. To remedy this, over time I developed a rigorous schedule to ensure I took frequent breaks during work and knew when to close up shop for the day. I was then truly able to increase my productivity and lead a more balanced life.
Don't overdo it
Some people adhere to the principle that dressing as if they were working in a normal office allows them to create a professional atmosphere and thus feel like a productive member of the workforce. In my opinion, that's nonsense! One of the main advantages of working from home is that nobody can see you and you can dress (or not) as you please. You may even find it ridiculous to dress up for yourself every day. Others may subscribe to the idea of working from a coffee shop or library to combat the loneliness of an empty office. Again, this is not something I recommend. To work effectively from home, you need to establish a routine that includes creating a comfortable and controllable environment.
It's true that it can be difficult to concentrate when the Xbox console or a well-stocked fridge is within reach. Do your best to establish an effective routine and try to balance all facets of your life properly.
Joe Issid.
Monster.ca
Posted May 20, 2013.
Whether by choice or necessity, working from home brings new challenges to your professional and private lives. Often, the line between the two is blurred and can cause discomfort, or even conflict. If you find yourself having to work from home for a long period of time, I invite you to follow these tips that I have personally found very helpful.
Create a bubble
In theory, changing your workplace shouldn't affect your work ethic. However, working from your favorite sofa while petting your cat can lead to a certain comfort that may not be suitable for a productive workspace. Not to mention that letting work invade your personal space can exacerbate the feeling of not being able to detach from it, even when you're resting at home. Ideally, you should be able to separate these two spaces as clearly as possible. If you have the space to create a home office, it is imperative to opt for this solution. Even a corner of your room will suffice as long as the space is used exclusively for your work. Your workspace shouldn't be boring or uncomfortable; it's simply important to distinguish it from the space reserved for your private life.
Don't compromise
Just because your office is now at home doesn't mean you should necessarily do housework during your working hours. When I started working from home, my wife and I were in the middle of fairly major renovations. Although my presence at home would have easily allowed me to quickly complete these renovations, my professional life was often disrupted. After strenuous efforts to try to balance the two, it was clear that I had to clearly separate my professional and personal goals. Your mere physical presence at home does not justify undertaking household chores during your working hours. In fact, you should act as if you were going to work in an outside office.
Stop working
Studies have shown that employees who work from home typically have better performance than those who do the same work in a traditional office space. Due to limited human interaction, it is much easier to focus on work and complete assigned tasks. Moreover, when working from home, you often take fewer breaks and end up working longer hours. Even if it seems a little unnatural, working longer hours is common among those who have their office at home. While it's true that your professional life will certainly benefit, your private life, on the other hand, may well suffer. To remedy this, over time I developed a rigorous schedule to ensure I took frequent breaks during work and knew when to close up shop for the day. I was then truly able to increase my productivity and lead a more balanced life.
Don't overdo it
Some people adhere to the principle that dressing as if they were working in a normal office allows them to create a professional atmosphere and thus feel like a productive member of the workforce. In my opinion, that's nonsense! One of the main advantages of working from home is that nobody can see you and you can dress (or not) as you please. You may even find it ridiculous to dress up for yourself every day. Others may subscribe to the idea of working from a coffee shop or library to combat the loneliness of an empty office. Again, this is not something I recommend. To work effectively from home, you need to establish a routine that includes creating a comfortable and controllable environment.
It's true that it can be difficult to concentrate when the Xbox console or a well-stocked fridge is within reach. Do your best to establish an effective routine and try to balance all facets of your life properly.
Joe Issid.
Monster.ca
Posted May 20, 2013.
