Working from Home? 7 Simple Tips to Find Success and Peace of Mind

By Peter Economy, author, Wait, I’m the Boss?!?

More people than ever before are working from home. For those of us who have been doing this for some time, the routine is old hat. However, if you’ve recently been thrust into the ranks of home-based workers, then you might be wondering how to focus on your job and avoid the distractions that surround you at home.

And make no mistake about it — the distractions are everywhere. Phone calls from friends and family, kids that want to be entertained, dogs that want to go for a walk — and cats that meow for your attention — the refrigerator in the kitchen calling your name.

So, if you’re working from home, here are 7 simple tips to help you focus on getting your work done.

1. Find your special spot.

Everyone needs a place to work that’s comfortable and cozy, stimulates creativity, and has the necessary tools. You might have a dedicated office in your home, or you might take over another room in your home, such as a den, dining room, or family room. I strongly advise against using your bedroom as your special working place if you have someone else who routinely occupies it with you.

2. Figure out when you’re most productive.

Are you a night owl? A morning person? Are you at your best after you’ve had a cup of coffee and a chance to read the morning paper or after you’ve run five miles? Is your house quiet for long periods of time, or is the atmosphere routinely punctuated with noise and distractions — kids running up and down the hallway or a construction project next door? If your job gives you the flexibility to set your own schedule, then find the time that’s most productive for you and do your work then.

3. Establish regular hours of business.

By establishing regular hours of business, you draw a line that tells others when you’re available for socializing and when you aren’t — just as the line is automatically drawn for those who work a regular job in a regular office. Not only does this help reinforce your own self-discipline, but it sends a clear message to others around you exactly when you are available, and when you’re not.

4. Get organized.

Although different people have different preferences when it comes to the amount of organization they need in their lives, most of us work better and more effectively when we’re organized. Keep your home office neat and tidy, just as you would the office at your place of work. Keep your desk clean and organized, eliminate distracting clutter, and keep your work business separate from your home and family business.

5. Prevent and deal with interruptions.

Your telephone or computer can be one great big distraction that can keep you from focusing on doing the work that needs to get done. Turn off the ringer, close the email program, and quit your browser if you cannot focus when you should be working. If you’ve become addicted to social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, shut them down so that you’re blissfully unaware of the constant stream of distractions.

6. Be firm, but polite.

Sure, your relatives, friends, and neighbors may want to pop in anytime they like to chat or to ask you to do favors while they are at work. Tell them firmly, but politely, that you won’t be available while you’re at work — you have to take care of your customers and coworkers first.

7. Keep your office your office.

Your office should be your office, so it’s the one place where you be assured that when you close the door, you’re removed from the day-to-day distractions of friends and family. This means others including children need to respect your need for privacy, peace, and quiet. While you can decide to make your office completely off-limits to others while you’re working — and you may need to, depending on your particular situation — be sure everyone understands why they need to give you privacy when it’s required. It’s not personal, it’s business.

Peter Economy is the bestselling author of Managing for Dummies (more than 600,000 copies sold globally) and is The Leadership Guy at INC.COM who averages more than 500,000 page views a month for his more than 1,500 columns published to date. His latest book is Wait, I’m the Boss (Career Press, March 2020). He routinely works with C-level executives, executive coaches, and business consultants worldwide. Visit him online at petereconomy.com.