More and more people are working from home these days—as freelancers, budding entrepreneurs, or even as virtual employees of a larger company.  Working from home often brings with it a lot of freedom – the freedom to make decisions, to set hours, and to determine your own workplace culture. Yet the home-based office has its share of challenges. Space is limited. It’s hard to be productive with unstructured days. You do not have the same support that comes with working at a big company, and the lines often blur between home and work.         

            With just a little organization, you can be productive, efficient, and enjoy all of the advantages of working from home. Here are a few of the core strategies I give my clients to ensure they get things done and feel effective:

Choose the Right Location    

Consider your specific needs in selecting the ideal workspace. Based on your individual workstyle, identify the type of environment that is most conducive to your productivity.  Do you work better in a central or remote location? Noisy or quiet? Compact or spacious? Light-filled or cozy? Determine adequate worksurface to spread out materials and paperwork, as well storage for active files and supplies. Wireless printers are a smart solution because the printer can be placed anywhere, which frees your desk space of large equipment and tangled cords.        

Create a Time Map

Just because you can work all the time, doesn’t mean you should. Designate work hours, and stick to them. Subdivide your workday into three blocks of time – morning, midday, and afternoon – and decide what category of work you will tackle during each chunk of time (e.g., mornings for client service, midday for marketing, afternoon for finance). This regular structure (also known as a Time Map) creates mini-deadlines throughout the day that keep you focused on your goals and priorities. Stay focused on one thing at a time and you will accomplish more at a higher quality and in less time.

Establish Clear Boundaries 

Let family and friends know your work hours, and if you have kids at home, arrange for childcare, or set up an activity station near your workspace to keep them busy as you work.   Set an alarm to end your workday, and dedicate evenings and weekends completely to your personal life.  

Plan your Downtime

Focus fully on your family during non-work hours will prevent you from feeling guilty when you are working. And make sure you carve out time for you. You devote a great deal of yourself to your business, your family, and your friends. What about time for you? Whether it’s working out, reading, or gardening, schedule at least one pleasurable activity into your week as a non-negotiable appointment with yourself, and watch how much more energy you have for your professional and personal endeavors.

Are you working from home?  What are your biggest time traps?  And what techniques do you use to stay productive? Share your challenges and solutions with me!