Good morning, Welcome to the Ultimate Blog Challenge Day 5 and today we are supposed to create “a step by step guide to working from home. So this morning I have some tips for you.
As a mom I never thought working from home would be so hard. Although it is hard and it is getting harder and harder. Even though Charlie is older now you would think it would be easier. Because I have done it all of Charlies life. But he is always wanting to go outside or to his friends and I have to quit working and take him. Which I am blessed to be able to do as its the whole reason I work from home. Although this isn’t the case as neither Charlie or David are respecting my business.
This is totally different from then I first started to work from home and because when I first started working I had a real office and they respected me and my space. As well as the hours I work.
Although now that I am working in the kitchen it is a open space and everyone is in it at any time of day or night and I can’t shut it off. So it means even though I am working neither David or Charlie think about that. So they talk to me when I am working on things which distracts me and drives me up the wall.
So this week I am going to have a ” come to Jesus meeting with Charlie and David”. So I can get back to building my business as it has been suffering from not putting in the time I need to on it. So with David being on vacation we will be putting together my office and I will be setting boundaries as to when I am in there and they will no, they just can not walk in at any time.
So this morning I would like to share with you “A step by step guide to working from home:
- Find a dedicated work space and only use if for work. Don’t let people put there stuff in your space.
- Set hours that you are working and make sure everyone knows the hours.
- Even it is is a imaginary door when you walk into your dedicated space close the door.
- Once you walk into the space take everything you need with you so your not getting up and down as this tells people its okay to bother you.
- If your family is at home set times for breaks and come out of your office to spend time with them.
- Have lunch and breakfast together then let them know your going to work and will be off at this time for anything they might need.
- Make sure when your on a break not to bring work with you as you want the family to know they are important to you and you respect your time together.
- At the end of the day turn off the lights in your office and close the door on your office. Do not go back into that space for any reason. Because the work in there can wait until tomorrow. As it is now time for your family and they must come first.
I hope these tips helped you with your plans to work from home and if you have other tips you think everyone could benefit from Please leave me a comment. As I am still struggling and can use your help.
As I am the worst one and don’t always walk away when I should and I end up working all hours of the day and night and don’t leave time for my family. Which isn’t fair to them or even to myself.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
Great advice. When we bought our home (which I’ve since sold), we ensure that there was working space for me, my wife, and each of our kids. That did not impinge on another’s, either!
Unfortunately we just bought this home and it didn’t have space for a office but mu husband has given up the master bedroom so I have my office. I am truly blessed that he was willing to do this.
Very interesting and good advice
Thank you, Have a great week.
Your tips brought back memories of when I first started my sewing business in the home. Some people think because you’re home, you can stop and chit-chat whenever. I set my times just as I was out in the work force and it worked well.
A Sewing business would be so much fun. But like you said I need to set my hours like I am at work or nothing gets done.
Hi, Glenda.
Oh I know very well the pull of work.
I too started working from home for my family. Truly, I did.
I admit that when I’m in my work zone, it’s very hard to get me out of it.
I saw my family as interruptions which of course they are not.
I wish I could go back and live that time over again, but I can’t.
Forgive yourself and just continue to build the habit of closing the figurative door of your office.
It’s taken me a very long time to take weekends off and this year I even added Friday.
Enlisting support is a good start.
#blogboost
Thank you, I also would take the weekends off but hubby works so it is just Charlie and I and if he is gone I find myself working. So I need to find one day that I just turn everything off and get out of this house. So I am Praying it happens soon as I am hopping David can get one day off on the weekends so we can do things together as a family as Charlie needs this. Have a Blessed day.
My husband & I are are in the process of turning his litttle side venture into an actual business. I’ll be taking these tips to heart since it will be a work from home business.
Thank you and I am glad they helped you. May I ask what his business is and will you be helping him with it? Have a Blessed day.
Distractions are truly a concern. Family members sometimes forget. When I’m writing, for example, hubby will call my name and ask for something so I have to tell him that the flow of creative juices stopped because of him. I know it’s not easy for them to understand because they think I’m just doing easy stuff when using my PC. They’ll get used to it, I know. But first, I have to tell them seriously.
I never thought of telling them the “creative juices have stopped
flowing”. So I might have to borrow it and see if that works out
better.
Have a Blessed day.
Fantastic tips, I work from home and it’s definitely an adjustment being in charge of keeping yourself motivated and not being distracted. These help!
I am glad you liked the tips and yes, it is a adjustment.
Have a Blessed day.
Such good tips. My little boy is only six months old, so I can’t really give myself set work times! But hopefully as he gets older, I’ll be able to do this, I’m sure it would help. It’s so much easier to work in one solid chunk than a bunch of fragmented moments!
Yes, it is but as moms we end up with more fragmented moments it seems. Or at least here I do but its okay because one day Charlie will be grown and not need me. So now is the time to make memories with him.