How to work efficiently, effectively from your home

Working effectively from home entails a learning curve.  For the beginner, working hard at 9am can easily devolve into hardly workin’ by 10:30… or sooner.  In order to promote efficiency and maximize effectiveness, try some of these expert tips from experienced home office warriors:

• Prioritize comfort: Buy a comfy chair, create room for a spacious desk, provide ample lighting for your work area.  Comfort keeps you motivated and focused.

• Equip yourself: Don’t be frugal with necessities.  Internet service, computer, dual monitors, printer, etc.  Investing in the tools you need is investing in success.

• Organize yourself: Just like Mom says, “A place for everything and everything in its place.”  Files, supplies, equipment… get it thoroughly and neatly organized.

• Look professional: Your home is your workplace, right?  Look the part.  Ditch the bathrobe, dress like it’s a ‘casual Friday’ at the very least.

• Office hours: Set a work schedule, stick to it.  Have set times to start, take breaks, get lunch, and quit for the day.

• Set small, attainable goals: Structure a big job into several smaller tasks, complete them sequentially.  Create a checklist to visualize your progress.

• Ruthlessly eliminate distractions: Do not leave Facebook, Twitter, or email open on your taskbar – shut them down completely.  Ditto the Internet and phone, ideally.

• Road trip: A change in scenery may restore clarity, focus, energy.  Work from a coffee shop, park, library, restaurant, common area, horse racing track…

• Stay connected: It’s easy to feel isolated if you spend all your time at home.  Get out, be sociable, make connections.  Do this daily.

Working from home is a positive, rewarding experience as long as you stay focused, responsible, and don’t fall into the trap of declining productivity.  You will quickly learn that working smart at home is a welcome solution for the need to work hard.