Make Working from Home Work for You

Since many of you want to know how to make fast money online for beginners, today’s post will be useful to you. This is a guest post by Sarah Scrafford.

It seems like an ideal situation, especially in these times of rapidly rising gas prices and emphasis on balancing both family and work working from the comfort of your home. Your schedules are flexible, you are around when your spouse and kids need you, and best of all, you don’t have to make the stressful and expensive commute to and from work day after day.

But working at home is not all it’s hyped up to be, not if you do not enforce a strict circle of fire demarcating your personal and professional lives. There are problems aplenty, a few of which I detail below:

1. Your concentration is shot to pieces by doorbells, phones ringing, family demanding attention and various other intrusions.
2. It’s tough to make your kids understand (especially if they’re very young) that your work is important and that you should not be disturbed while in your office.
3. The lack of colleagues and the informality of a home environment make it difficult to focus on work, especially if you’re not in the best of moods.
4. There’s no one to talk to (unless you pick up the phone) about a problem in the line of work.
5. With no boss peering over your shoulder, the incentive to work harder is less.
6. The refrigerator and the television are distractions that interrupt work constantly, if you’re the kind who snacks a lot or does not want to miss a game (or soap opera) on TV.
7. Unexpected guests could really tear your schedule apart.
8. It’s sad but true, most people do not take you seriously when you say you work from home, no matter how important your work is.

In spite of all these issues, there are professionals who have made working from home really work for them. Following in their footsteps is easy, if you can be disciplined and dedicated to your work.

1. Set fixed work times, no matter what the rest of the household is doing at the time. Make sure that your family members and outsiders know you are not to be disturbed during “office hours”.
2. If that does not work for you, set yourself a target - do not leave your desk till you complete a certain set of tasks or a particular assignment.
3. Switch off the phone and doorbell if you’re alone at home and do not want to be disturbed while working.
4. Do not waste valuable time in idly browsing the Internet, watching TV or fixing a snack or a drink. Pretend you’re at a regular office with the boss breathing down your neck.
5. Set targets and reward yourself when you achieve them. Even better, get your boss to pay you on an incentive basis - the more work you do, the more money you make. Money is one of the best motivators to stay focused on the job at hand.
6. Maintain a circle of friends and co workers whom you can call or email if doubts and questions plague you.
7. Set fixed time for coffee and bathroom breaks.
8. If your work involves a lot of sitting down or typing on the computer, make sure you set aside time for exercise. Work outs boost your efficiency and rid you of that sluggish feeling you get from staying indoors all day. Get out in the fresh air and sunlight to avoid feeling blue and depressed sitting and working all by yourself with no colleagues to talk to and banter with.

Working from home is an opportunity most people would kill for, but it works only if you have the discipline to stick to a schedule and a sense of devotion to the work you do.

Sarah Scrafford is an industry critic, as well as a regular contributor on the subject of making smart money decisions. She invites your questions, comments and freelancing job inquiries at her email address: sarah.scrafford25@gmail.com.