Incorporating these practices into your day-to-day life will help you get the most out of working from home.

 

Establish boundaries between your home and work lives. It can be hard to balance being a professional with other aspects of your life, so it’s important to establish boundaries that help you take time for yourself. We all need time to relax and refresh, even taking a few hours off.

Create a work-from-home system. Work-from-home success requires planning and organization of your time. Try creating some simple guidelines and routines for how you will organize your work schedule when you’re not at the office.

Keep your equipment well-maintained. No matter how hard you try, distractions can majorly hinder your productivity from home. If your computer malfunctions and you’re forced to resolve the problem elsewhere, it can break up your rhythm for the rest of the day. Keep an eye on your equipment and make sure it’s up-to-date:

• Use a surge protector when plugging in multiple electronic items, including a computer, printer, fax machine, and modem.

• Make sure your computer has the latest software and program updates.

• Keep your printer, fax machine, and other business equipment up-to-date.

 Schedule regular time for household and personal tasks. Certain household tasks will take up some of your time each day, no matter what you do. Be realistic about how much time it will take to complete these tasks to balance them with the adjustments you’ll need to make if you fall behind.

 

Keep a filing system to help keep track of your documents and tasks. Whether it’s an electronic filing system or a more old-school paper-based one, keeping organized means reducing the distractions that can come with working from home and increasing your workflow productivity.

If you’re running low on the workspace, consider purchasing the right home office furniture. You need space for your computer, printer, fax machine, and other work-related items. It would help if you also had a large desk to accommodate all your work needs, from writing and managing your business to eating your lunch.

Some home office furniture gives you the advantage of a modular system. You can buy desks, chairs, and other work surfaces for your specific needs. This allows you to customize your office space in minutes instead of hours or days.

You will also need a good wireless Internet connection. Make sure it is reliable, fast, and secure. If you travel for work, you may need to invest in a careful-quality mobile Internet device to get online when you are away from home. You can find great deals on used phones at your local cell phone repair center or by searching on eBay or CraigsList. You may also need a good-quality cloud-based productivity system like Google Apps and aks to store all your important documents and files on the cloud.

When you get to the working part, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, always have a set schedule and stick to it. Working from home often means working late into the night and early in the morning. Make sure you set your schedule to take time for yourself and your family. Secondly, don't let distractions (telephone calls from friends, checking emails, etc.

Finally, you will need to employ the right attitude to succeed at working from home. While you have some flexibility in your schedule, you still need to be extremely focused and disciplined. Working from home is not for everyone; it takes a special set of skills and a strong commitment to succeed.