The paradigm on work is slowly but surely shifting. More and more companies are now allowing their employees to telecommute. There are also new companies that do not even set up physical offices but instead rely on a network of employees who work from home. This is actually a more cost effective way of operating a business. Unfortunately, it also has a downside.
Working at home can be difficult at times because there are just so many factors a telecommuter has to contend with that can affect his productivity. The distractions are far greater at home compared to working in an office.
One of the biggest obstacles to working at home is creeping laziness and the reasons are quite obvious. When you wake up you know that your work is just waiting for you in the other room and you won’t even need to dress up or take a shower to go to work. The lure of the bed becomes overpowering or the various entertainment options in your house attract you.
The best way to fight this is by actually setting daily work schedule and following it. It’s like following a daily schedule at the office only doing it inside the house. This will allow you to establish a routine that will make it feel that you are indeed at work even though you’re not in an office. Another way to combat laziness is to set goals that you need to fulfill on a daily basis. This will motivate you and allow you to strive to reach these goals. You can then set rewards for each goal reached. Don’t just do daily goals, make weekly and monthly goals as well.
Setting up a dedicated space for work will also help you overcome laziness. A home office will allow you to shift to a ‘work’ mindset.
Various distractions can also affect your productivity at home. You have your TV, various entertainment gadgets, the chores that need to be done, your children and so many other things that will keep you from working and always snap you out of work mode. The best way to combat this is to strictly follow your work schedule. Resist the temptation of allowing yourself to be distracted by anything. It’s work time and that what you should do. Inform the people inside your house that you are working and not disturb except for an emergency.
Another obstacle that telecommuters get bogged down with is the lack of any opportunities to socialize with other people. Telecommuters generally work alone and won’t usually have any interaction with other people from their company. This lack of contact with the outside world can get trying. To remedy this, arrange to meet clients or colleagues outside your home.
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