Working from home is such a privilege. When you've finally landed that work from home job, you don't want to do anything that will jeopardize it. To keep you from making telecommuting faux pas, here are some tips of what not to do when working from home.
Failure to talk with your family about working from home is a big mistake you'll want to avoid. Your family needs to be willing to work with you in your desire to work from home. If you have small children, they won't understand that Mommy or Daddy is at home, but they can't play a game. Spend as much time as you can with your children while you can, then take advantage of nap times, older siblings, or grandparents so you can work for a couple of hours uninterrupted.
Don't think that you can do whatever you want and still get your work done. It is so easy to become distracted when you work from home. Self-discipline is needed, now more than possibly any other point in your life.
Set a specific schedule of work times, when you'll be available for the children, and when you'll have downtime for fun. Make sure you schedule time for fun, or you'll quickly become burned out. Of course, being flexible in your schedule is important, but you will want to be sure to work the number of hours you plan each day.
Don't forget to let friends know when you're working. Again, having a schedule of when you plan to work will allow you to give your friends a specific time you'll call them back if they call. Don't be afraid to tell them you can't talk or run out to lunch with them if you have work to do. They wouldn't expect you to drop what you're doing if you worked a traditional job; they shouldn't expect you to do so since you work from home.
Don't give out your home telephone number if you have a website, business cards, or other forms of advertising. Spend the extra money to get a dedicated business phone with an answering machine. Also, don't allow anyone else in your home to answer your business line. If you can't pick up the phone, let the machine get it. It might be a good idea not to give your business number to anyone other than business contacts so friends and family won't tie up your business line.
Don't be a work from home lone ranger. Isolation isn't good for anyone, and that includes those working from home. You had friends when you worked a traditional job, don't let working from home keep you from them. Schedule one day a week, or every other week, where you can meet your friends for lunch or coffee. You'll be much more productive if you have something to look forward to.
There are so many benefits of working from home and anyone that does so wants to do well. By avoiding these "don'ts" you will have a better chance of being successful.
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