SmithWriting Blog

Be warned: Working from home requires a significant amount of self-discipline. If you’re easily tempted by The Young and the Restless or the early-bird sales at your local department store, then maybe you’re better suited to office life.

For those of you brave enough to work from home, here are some helpful tips I’ve learned along the way:

Have a designated home office with a door.
I find that shutting myself in (and my distractions out) helps me to concentrate on my writing. In my mind, my office is associated with work: When I’m in my office, I work. When I’m not, I don’t.

Set a schedule for yourself.
Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, make a work schedule and stick to it. Thanks to my set schedule, it’s easy to plan phone calls, meetings, and coffee breaks. Plus, my clients always know when they can reach me—and my friends and family know when they can’t.

Set guidelines with your spouse, partner, or roommate.
If you share your home with anyone else, it’s important that you talk with them about your requirements for working from home. For example, you may not want your roommate running on her treadmill and blasting OK Go during your weekly conference call.

Hire a savvy accountant.
A smart financial adviser will save you lots of money and hassle as you manage your home business. Case in point: Did you know that you can deduct a portion of your utility bills when you work from home?

Plan regular social get-togethers.
Because let’s be honest: If you spend all day, every day alone, you’ll be pretty miserable. For instance, I meet a writer friend for lunch at a local diner once a month. It’s therapeutic to talk about writing, work, and life in general—and the omelets are great, too!

Filed by rebecca at 7:26 am under The freelancing life