Congratulations! You’ve found a great opportunity to work at home and the perks are so obvious: no long commute, no office politics, more flexible schedule, tax breaks, and independence. While working at home is really a great set-up, there are some challenges you will be facing. Most work-at-homers struggle with 4 key areas: organization, discipline, separating home life and work life, and feeling isolated. To help with all of these issues, here are 3 practical and simple tips you should know.

1. Have your own work space. You need a separate, private area to minimize distractions and get into “work mode.” Make sure family and friends realize that you are not accessible to them (just as if you were away at work) unless it’s an emergency. Your work space should be comfortable and have everything you need right at hand, including your computer, phone (a separate line is recommended) , and supplies. (If nothing else works, you can always build an office in the back yard.)

2. Set a schedule. If you don’t set time apart for work, then you will be scurrying at the last minute to meet deadlines. Humans are creatures of habit and a work schedule will help you be disciplined, motivated, professional, and productive. While you may have more flexibility as to when you can work, you do need to set apart time for just that. Just as importantly, remember to schedule breaks to keep your mind fresh.

3. Network. Keep up with professional contacts. Attend expos, forums, trade shows, and conferences that are related to your business. Join online communities related to your industry. Networking will help you stay visible to potential clients and business contacts, and help you stay up-to-date, motivated, and focused.

Incorporating these 3 simple solutions can make the difference between work-at-home success or the used-to-work-at-home-but-it-didn’t-work-out routine.

[tags]home office, work at home, sahm, wahm, home based business, soho, entrepreneur, tips, work, home, work space, long commute[/tags]

Stumble it!