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The unrelenting march of technology has, over the last few years, seen a considerable rise in the number of people choosing to work from home.
But while working from home holds many advantages over traditional employment situations, it requires a certain level of self-discipline to make it successful.
If you’re considering self-employment, or even just working remotely for your employer, these working-from-home tips should help you get off to a good start.
For many people, moving away from ‘9am to 5pm’ employment is one of the key motivations behind working from home.
However, it’s not advisable to be too flexible with your hours. Setting clear times for the start and finish of your working day helps to establish an important work-life balance, and it’s especially crucial if you have family making plans around you.
Remember too that 9am to 5pm are still the most commonly used trading hours. So even if you prefer working in the evening, you’ll find business contacts much harder to get hold of at that time.
A well-known working-from-home tip (but one worth repeating) is to dedicate a room to your work.
A clearly defined work space is essential in putting distance between your work life and your home life (see our article on home office design for more information) and helps you to focus on business matters during the day.
If you need more variety, take advantage of technology and get out of the house. Many cafes now have wireless internet access for your laptop, while you can also use facilities such as ‘Log Me In’ and ‘Go to my PC’ to access your desktop computer remotely.
Such programs mean you can work with your own files and software wherever you may be in the world.
For a lot of people working from home, the novelty of isolation soon wears off.
Combat it by using the telephone and physical meetings rather than over-reliance on email – after all, with so much modern communication carried out via the internet, it’s not uncommon for days or even weeks to pass by without actually speaking to another person.
Unless you’re an accountant, doing your own book-keeping could be an inefficient use of your time.
And while hiring somebody to take care of it may initially seem expensive, the time you save could potentially be worth more.
Don’t be afraid to enlist help, leaving you free to concentrate on doing what you do best.
For more working from home tips, see our feature on what makes a successful home office design.
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