Simplify: Ways to make your home office work for you

Whether running a consultancy business, working for a virtual company or managing a household and two to five volunteer projects, the initial joys of sitting in front of the computer in your PJs have likely been shattered by the disillusionment of home-based pitfalls.

Working from home. Ahhhhhh. It doesn't get better than ditching the commute and setting your own hours.

Whether running a consultancy business, working for a virtual company or managing a household and two to five volunteer projects, the initial joys of sitting in front of the computer in your PJs have likely been shattered by the disillusionment of home-based pitfalls.

What follows are common perils I hear from clients and ideas to thrive in your flexible work life:

I don't have a dedicated room for an office and my stuff ends up spread all over the dining room table.

Really, it doesn't matter what room your workspace is in or what it looks like. Rather than lament your situation, focus on your systems: reliable To-Do and project lists, a weekly planning and review session, e-mail best practices, and information organization (digital and paper). You can work about anywhere when your systems are dialed in.

Too many distractions!

Face it. No matter what your work situation is, distractions will find you. A better question to ask is "How do I deal with distractions?" If your family is the culprit, explain that just because you're home doesn't mean you're always available.

Then set and stick with work boundaries during which you are not to be disturbed except for emergencies. Examples of off-limit parameters: between 8 a.m. and noon or when this door is closed.

If the issue is you getting distracted by stuff around the house (i.e. cleaning out the fridge sounds more appealing than that client proposal), then alternate work sprints with physical activities. This can also serve as a reward or transition time. Remember to be specific. Example: “Once I've completed this report, I'll spend 30 minutes in the garden.”

I end up working all the time.

Set boundaries and stick with your time-management system. Example: “The computer gets turned off at 8 p.m.” You can also clarify personal and family time by closing the office door or draping a tapestry over your computer. This is easy to do when you are satisfied with your progress for the day (and haven't wasted hours Facebooking).

One more important factor: your body.

When our work situation becomes more casual, we tend to let ergonomic considerations slide. Sure you can work on your laptop in bed, on the sofa, or in a café, but just because you left the formal work environment doesn't mean that neck strain from poor posture stayed behind, too.  Maintain good sitting habits and sprinkle in breaks regularly to rest your eyes and relieve tightness. Take care of yourself!

Discipline and boundaries may not be the most sexy co-workers in history, but your livelihood will certainly benefit from keeping these two on your team!

Shawn Tuttle is the author of Simplify. To contact Shawn, visit www.ProjectSimplify.com