Work at Home Discipline
July 12, 2010 by The Frugal Home
Filed under Work at Home
How many of you work from home and are reading this right now when you should be working? If you are anything like me you are also calling it research! Not that I don’t spend real time researching but I can’t exactly call looking up new bedding or reading about fung shui research for any of my websites. Working from home takes a great deal of discipline as there is no one to tell you to get back to work except for yourself. So read these tips . . . then get back to work!
Set a work at home schedule
This is your schedule so set it however you want, you are working from home and working for yourself so you don’t have to stick to 8 to 5. Perhaps you decide to work from seven to eleven in the morning or you want to work straight through for an hour then get up and do something else for a bit like laundry or a shower. This isn’t always easy, especially if you are a stay at home mom as well as a work at home mom, who has children vying for her attention as well, but stick to it as much as you can. I come and go from a schedule as I’ll stick to it for awhile then I’ll work obscene amounts of hours, burn myself out and put myself back on a schedule. Personally, if I set my mind to working for four or five hours a day then having the rest of the day off, I often get more done than if I worked on and off all day.
Make a list of your work at home duties
Working from home, for many, involves more than just one job. Often we are the boss, the IT tech, customer service, and the accountant all rolled into one. Not to mention if we are working several part time jobs at home! Making a list of what you need to accomplish each week is a big help. I was forgetting about things I needed to do (one blog I write for was forgotten for three months once) so I started keeping a weekly list of items that need to be accomplished. Some weeks I actually schedule when I will take care of each item, and other weeks I just run down the list and bask in the utter enjoyment I get from crossing things off a list.
Seperate work and home as much as you can
For some reason it is very easy for those of us who work from home to remember that we work. We have a job just like everyone else. That means you have to be able to say no. I have had friends ask me to do something for them because I don’t have a “real job”. I have a real job and just because I don’t have to leave my house to do it doesn’t make it any less of a real job. I make money just like they do. Don’t let others make you feel as if what you do isn’t important. If you are under pressure and need to get something done, say no to things you don’t have time to do. Don’t let your husband or wife get away with not helping around the house just because you are at home as well. Now, if you only actually worked an hour and spent the rest of the day surfing the internet you can’t really say anything, and you should probably get up right now and put the dishes from last night in the dishwasher, but if you truly put in ten hours today then ask for help. You worked just as hard, and often harder, than they did.
Take time off when you work at home
When you work from home you can fall into the habit of always working. I know this for a fact as it is Sunday and I’m writing this post! This isn’t good and can cause issues with you and your family, can make you depressed and strung out, and is out and out unhealthy. I have to make myself stop and it isn’t always easy but you have to set aside a weekend, a day, or even a few hours for a movie, to shut down the computer and walk away. You will get more accomplished if you aren’t working around the clock and wearing yourself, and your family, down.
All the points are really appreciable that if even working from home we have to be disciplined. I really like all your points that we have to Set a schedule to work at home, making list of work, set a time limit, separate the daily work.
Thank you! It isn’t alwasy easy but having a little discipline can often make a big difference in how much we actually get done!
working from home requires real discipline, and it’s a fine line to take. You make some good points about keeping to schedule and being strict with your time
working at home is now a days very attractive slogan and people even left there jobs for the sake of working at home. My thinking is that Working at home should be some sort of Part job activity not a full time job. And one should concentrate on sticking to ones original job at office.
It is important to set up a time table if you are working at home and don’t forget to take rest between two or one hours.
Superking – not sure why you don’t believe that someone should not work at home full time? And especially why they should only work at an office? I make more money working from home than I ever did working in an office, plus I get the added benefit of saving money because I am here to take care of emergencies, home improvements, make dinner and clean the house, and I don’t have to spend excess money on clothes for working, an extra car, gas money, etc. I also will not have to spend money on child care when my husband and I are blessed with children as I will be able to take care of them myself while still earning a living. I’m not sure why I should concentrate on a B&M job over having all of that?
Idaho Roofing – Yes! The taking breaks is so important! If you don’t get up and walk around you tend to get stiff and your back and neck hurts. I try to get up every thirty minutes to an hour and go do something else for a minute so my back stays in better shape! I can always tell when I am overworking as I always end up having to make a chiropractor appointment!
Most of us make this as a habit that our home is also our working place. Actually it is not bad at all. It credits us a lot. But we have to put in mind that in our home we must prioritize our family than working with something else. And of course as we work even in our home, we must don’t forget to take some rest. It benefits your body and mind.
A good post with some good points. But there’s another thing that’s pretty important when you’re working from home, or considering it: social interaction.
When you work from home, you don’t have colleagues around you to banter with. You (probably) don’t have people to eat lunch with. Be careful not to let yourself become isolated.
And if scheduling a lunch once a week with a friend makes you feel guilty or not self-discplined enough, try to consider how much fresher and happier you’ll feel for having done it.
I’ve been working from home for 12 months now and I’ve managed to get into a routine, I think that’s the most important thing…. and make a weekly plan . . .
Thank you for info
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Its really my opinion but certainly same as Superking says Working at home should be some sort of Part job activity not a full time job. And one should make their concentration on another personal business or job……………!
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Aslam – it is your, and superking’s opinions, but why should I go to an office to work when I can make the same working for myself? If I owned the office would you think anything of my working for myself? Why cannot I work for myself at home? I have never heard such ridiculous statements.
It is very easy for those of us who work from home to remember that we work. We have a job just like everyone else. But take it strictly and sincerely and fully devoted to the job.
I am wholeheartedly with you, Frugal One….can’t figure out why they think it’s a bad thing LOL. Although I’m also a self-employed painter, business is bad right now so I’m trying to take advantage of online pay opportunities. I do a little ChaCha expediting, but right now my main source is Amazon MTurk. Any tips on other things I can try? Thanks…I just ran across your blog and I enjoy it!
Lisa, I love ChaCha! It is one of the jobs I do the most as it takes the least thought and some days you just don’t want to think any more! ChaCha is also one of the most reliable. You can check out my list here, http://thefrugalhome.com/blog/articles/work-at-home/list-of-legitimate-work-at-home-opportunities/, for more jobs, if you can write you may want to look into Break Studios or another writing avenue!
One of the biggest challenges when working at home is time and task management. It is much more stiff to remain disciplined and get work done at home than it is an an office.at home you have the independent to do what you want, again because there is no one to answer to but yourself.
Nice and informative post. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks for very interesting and useful tips!
thanks for sharing this very informative article
Thanks very much for sharing this.
I have done various online courses and I could have done with a few of these tips
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Discipline is very important whether at home or out but mostly in house. If you cant manage discipline at your home you just read above blog and get good information about home discipline.
Thanks for this information. Discipline is very important and I proved it to myself. I have my pen and notebook with me and jotting down my task for the day so I could have my routine right on track.
Work from home takes a lot of serious discipline, specially you’re the boss of you’re own time and schedule. There’s so many temptation that could prevent you to accomplish your goal on that particular day. Sometimes having a regular job, and a boss yelling at you will make you more productive, rather than controlling your own time.
This is 1 good example of time management. Allocating time even if you are working from home.
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Working at home has been great for me. I make more money working out of my home and I am also more productive in a home office setting than I ever was at a regular work place. Perhaps it is because I am good at managing my own schedule. Working from home is not for everyone because it does require a high level of self discipline, but I do several types of work and not all are in the home. Some of my jobs are merchandising and courthouse research. I like having these assignments because I feel it is important to get out of the house.
I also work at home, though I’m not discipline enough to do my duties when time comes that I tend not to work then weekends will be a rush hour for me which really kills me.
Mike
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