Work From Home: How To Make It Work

Imagine this: You are doing reports and creating presentations in the comforts of your house in Ponticelli in Daang Hari. Now that is probably something that each one of us would love to do. Just the thought of NOT leaving the serene neighborhood of your Crown Asia home in Cavite and NOT having to deal with the stressful traffic of Metro Manila is a dream.

Fortunately, modern technology has now made it possible to actually work-from-home. But before you jump up and down with joy, and pitch this idea to your company, let me warn you that working from home is not a walk in the park. It takes discipline and commitment to make it work.

If you are one of those that will be doing this kind of working arrangement – whether you are a freelancer, a part-timer or a full-time employee, here is a list of how to make working-from-home work for you.

Set up a home office

Don’t sleep where you work. The site of your bed is sometimes enough to break your focus and make you slack for the rest of the day. Keep your office away from all distractions such as the TV or the gym to help you get focused. Setting up a home office instead of just hanging around in the couch or your room will give you the mindset that your workplace gives. It will help with your output and performance.

Invest in fast internet

This is a MUST in working from home. You cannot simply afford an intermittent internet when working from home.

Be reachable

Your home office should not only have fast internet but should also have a strong mobile signal.If mobile signal is weak in your home, get a landline. The more ways for your office to reach you, the better. Your colleagues should have several alternatives on how to reach you, whether it’s by email, mobile or online.If you are unreachable, your boss will think that you are just slacking off, even if you are not.

Start the same hour as you would do in your workplace

Working from home do give you a few more minutes of sleep, but it does not give you the privilege of working late. Take a shower, eat your breakfast, and do your routine the same way you would do if you were going to the workplace. Then start on time or a few minutes before. Never ever be late.Just because you are not in your office does not mean that tardiness does not apply to you.

Be better at communication

Since you are not physically present in the office, you should communicate well with your colleagues. Provide your boss updates on the projects and tasks you are working on. Be in touch often with your officemates.

Also, make your messages clear. Working from home lack the non-verbal cues that often helps with the interpretation of your message. In other words, avoid sarcasm. They won’t get it.Just be straight to the point.

Get your family on board

Let your family member understand that you are just physically home but you are still working. Therefore, they should give you space to do your work. There is nothing more stressful than receiving a call from your boss and having your child screaming in the background.

Working from home is indeed a dream. With the right discipline, you can make it work. Happy Working!