Working from Home Has Improved My Life

My employers are the best.  I am now allowed to work from home four days a week and only have to go into the office each Friday. I love it. It’s really difficult not to get distracted but the money I save on commuting, and just being able to work outside if I want on sunny days is fantastic.  I feel a lot more relaxed than I did and I am enjoying being around the family more.

Four Hour Commute was Making Life a Misery

The problem with my job is that the offices moved, which meant four hours a day in the car getting to and from work.  Not only was this exhausting it also meant I was spending a fortune in petrol costs and often missing seeing my kids before they crashed out.  My employer has been fantastic and life couldn’t be much better, unless I won the lottery of course!

When you work from home it is important to be dedicated to the job.  There can be a lot of distractions ranging from the family, pets, friends popping round and the television.  If you are considering working from home I have some great tips which can help you to remain on top of your workload.

1. Set working hours just like you were going into the office

I start work at 9am once I get back from taking the children to their nursery session. I work until lunch then break for an hour before picking up the kids.  In the afternoon my wife comes home and looks after the children until I finish at 5.30pm, on the dot.

1. Create an office environment in the home

I have stolen the dining room which has become my office. I have a desk, pc, arm chair and plenty of shelving and storage space.  The children have now learnt that while Daddy is in there he can’t be disturbed unless absolutely necessary.  Luckily my wife is fantastic at keeping them occupied and once they start going to full time school things will be a lot easier.

1. After work has finished for the day don’t return to the office

When working outside of the home it is easier to switch off and distance yourself from work. When you work at home this is a lot harder. I have overcome the problem by not allowing myself to enter my home office after I have finished at 5.30.  The time after then is for me and my family only.

1. Have a good internet connection

When I first worked from home I noticed how slow my computer was at loading up pages. I need to be online and accessible for my bosses, colleagues and our clients.  I also carry out a lot of online work.  In order to be productive I upgraded my Internet to a package which was faster and surprisingly more affordable. My work does pay a proportion of my internet costs but even if I stopped working from home I would now keep the same deal.

1. Avoid distractions like the television

It’s easy to walk through the house to grab a cup of tea and be distracted on the way. Remember there are internet sites which allow you to catch up with television and treat yourself at the end of the day by watching the shows you strongly avoided during working hours.

1. Stand up and move around

Whether you work in the office or at home you need to move around. Sitting down all day is bad for your health. Work movement into your schedule.  For every twenty minutes work I stand up and move around for two minutes. 

With these tips you should be able to successfully combine family life when working from home. You need to be determined and remain focused on why you want to work at home to stay committed to the job.

Look online to compare broadband deals to find one fast enough for a great price. You will need the speed to keep up with your daily tasks.