4 Tips for Work at Home Success
6:00 PM
Guest Post By: Amar Patel
Working from home with children is not easy, achieving balance between work and children can be extremely difficult. With little ones running around, it is easy to become distracted and lose focus on the work that needs to be done. However, there are a few tips you can use to help you achieve the right “balance” when trying to manage work and a family at the same time.
- Include your children in what you are working on. - If it’s feasible you should try and include your children in your work. Explain to them what you do, and let them help you out. By doing this they will eventually form an understanding and appreciation of your work, will want you to succeed and allow you to concentrate on the task at hand.
- Make the perfect office. One of the big advantages of working from home is that you have the opportunity to create the office of your ‘dreams’, or at least somewhere you will be comfortable working! By using sites like eBay or Craigslist in combination with shipping sites you can find cheap couriers to help deliver the perfect items for your dream office (try using the cheap courier services of uShip). When you are more comfortable, it is easier to get more work done when you have some quiet time.
- Make use the ‘office door’. The simplest way to visually tell your child that you are at “work” is to have a door on your office. The reasoning behind this is that they will come to associate you needing to work in your office as your job, and your time outside of the office as your time for them. Speaking from experience this link won’t be made instantly, but as the children became familiar with it; they will understand that when you enter the office it’s time for work and for them to be quiet.
- Use the answering machine- Answering machines are often ignored, but brilliant pieces of technology for work at home moms. If the phone rings with a business call while you are busy with the children or things are getting too loud around your home, let the machine take the call and then callback when the kids are quiet or in the other room. This way you never miss an important call and can appear professional at all times.
9 comments
Having a comfortable office is the key to productivity.
ReplyDeleteI would think having the door would be a HUGE help in letting the kids know the difference between when you're working or available to them.
ReplyDeleteThese are great tips! I'm excited that all three of my kids will be attending school so I can get more work done each day.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice! Finding a way to get the children involved is a challenge, but a good tip!
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's having an only child, but it's really not been too much of an adjustment working from home. Good tips!
ReplyDeleteInvolving your kids is a good idea.
ReplyDeleteI agree that feeling comfortable in your office is a key to productivity.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who worked at home for years, I can say this is great, vital advice! Distractions are too easy when at home. To create a professional setting gives you a headstart on focusing on the work you need to do.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips!
ReplyDelete