Tips on working from home

[ejlo1]

Hi everyone, I am looking for your tips on how best to work from home.

For background, I currently work at my company’s office 20 hrs a week. I have been offered the opportunity to take on additional work (between 5 and 15 hrs/wk) that I could do from home in addition to the 20 hrs at the office each week. We currently have a 3.5 yr old boy and a 7 mo old girl. My husband works 3rd shift so his work/sleeping hours are somewhat irregular.

This extra work would be just during tax season so I would only be doing this for 10-12 weeks and while we don’t absolutely need the extra income, it would really be nice to beef up our savings again as I can forsee that our car will need to be replaced in the next year or so.

Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Having been there: Don’t spend the day in your PJ’s. Shower and dress at least close to what you might wear to the office. You’ll feel more professional and productive.

 

[chevalier]

Been freelancing from home since early 2009… There are good sides and bad sides.

I wholeheartedly support Tarpeian Rock on that one: you really need to make sure you continue to follow a normal, health regimen. Don’t allow yourself to sleep irregularly, eat irregularly etc. Set aside some place for eating, for sleeping, don’t do everything in the same place. In short, don’t do all the things I’ve done, and do all the things I haven’t done. They’re important and payback is a female dog if you don’t watch it.

Make sure you have a comfortable workplace. Reasonably clean and tidy, vented. Particularly chair and desk must be okay for you (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Computer_Workstation_Variables.jpg).

Go out, take walks. Talk to people. Don’t become an outcast, let alone a weirdo. It will be important to keep your social network and your contact with people.

 

[Irishmom2]

I would say that with 2 children, you might want to nap while they do in the daytime and stay up and work a bit when they go to bed at night. As long as you are not needed to call in things or whatever during regular day hours.

 

[1ke]

So you are working 20 hrs per week now. Is that 2 or 3 days a week, or is it a few hours 5x per week? where are the children when you are working now? These extra hours, would they be on off days, weekends, nights?

You need to have child care in place for these hours. You will need your full attention on your work. If you want to bring in a baby sitter, then ensure you have a room dedicated as an office space with a door that closes.

 

[ejlo1]

Thanks for the tips, keep 'em coming! Right now I work 2.5 days a week. DH’s work schedule allows him to watch the kids on the half day and the other 2 days they are with a sitter. I would plan to do most of the work in the evenings after they are in bed or on the weekends when DH is home.