The Secret to Home Office Productivity in 5 Steps

"I'm so jealous! You get to work in yoga pants." Or, "I'd love to be able to work from home and spend more time with my kids."

Here's the thing: working from home can have a lot of benefits. For employees, it can provide flexibility and improve the work-life continuum (or as I like to define it, the balance of love-to's and have-to's), and for employers, it can reduce overhead costs, increase productivity, expand the pool of potential employees, and reduce employee turnover. Without the proper guidelines, however, what should be one of your company's greatest assets can become a major liability.

Here are the 5 Steps to making telecommuting or working from home work for you and your boss:

1. Enclosed Office Space

While many experts recommend setting up a dedicated work space, I'll go one step further and say it's most beneficial to set up an office space that has a door that you can close to remove yourself from your personal world. I was working from home when my first daughter was born, and during the hours that my husband took care of the baby, I quickly came to understand the necessity of a closed door.  Crying babies, barking dogs, or riotous scenes from the latest Netflix binge are all things that your clients or co-workers just don't need to hear during conference calls.  If a separate office is not possible, get creative and set up your work space somewhere that still has a door to reduce outside distractions. And yes, I've sat on the floor inside a walk-in closet for extra noise insulation. #BeenThereDoneThat 


2. Dress for Success
Forgo the yoga pants and messy bun. "Working from home" doesn't mean "withdrawing from society." Does your work day start at 8 a.m.? Get up an hour early, take your shower, put on clean clothes that you wouldn't mind your boss or client seeing you in should your web cam accidentally default to "On" when logging into a Zoom meeting. (Yes, that happened. To be fair, it was 5 a.m. my time. Face meet palm. Ugh!). These basic daily habits prepare your mind for work mode. You'll be more productive, more inspired, and if a friend reaches out last minute for a lunch date, you'll be ready to go. Plus, as a work-from-home parent, you're modeling the tools for success for your kids. Show them what "good" looks like. Your partner will appreciate your efforts, too. #LookGoodFeelGood

3. Set Work Hours and Let Your Family Hold You to Them!
Working from home can provide tremendous flexibility. But "flexibility" means different things for different people. For me, it means that if I want to take my daughter to art class 1 day a week, I'll make up those 2 hours over the other days. Or, depending on the projects I'm working on, I can work on my laptop from the bench outside the art studio. For others, it might mean they work when and where they want and need to. Different professions require different availability. Regardless, the more important definition is: When do YOU typically work?  Working from home can become an all-consuming obsession that wreaks havoc on the family. Don't let it. By defining your work hours and letting the family know, you (and they) can schedule the real world around them. It's a work-life continuum, remember?  The "life" part, particularly family life, is key. #WeAreFamily

4. Have or Request the Tools You Need
A laptop of choice, a reliable internet connection, and cell service with a good signal. These are the most basic of needs. Without any of them, working from home can be nearly impossible. Most employers provide these basics and often many other technological tools that are important to your particular business. But if they don't, or if you are a gig worker or entrepreneur, take responsibility yourself. This is not the place to "make do." You shouldn't ever have to make excuses to your customers for not being able to communicate. That's why even though I live in a great neighborhood in Southern California, I have an honest-to-goodness, old school land line. Cell reception with every local carrier in my neighborhood is awful, but I'm on the phone with clients for hours every day. I MUST have reliable phone service, so land line it is! If any one of your necessary tools is not working consistently, fix it. Immediately.  #ThatIsAll

5. Be Committed 
Not everyone can work from home. It takes someone who can stay on task on the daily and remain highly productive and self-motivated. Sure, you may occasionally throw a load in the washing machine while you're steeping that next cup of tea, but regularly tuning in to a favorite TV show or getting lost on Insta several hours a day may be a sign this isn't the gig for you. Staying connected to your boss or co-workers can be an important tool in staying in work mode. Whether it's a daily or weekly chat with your boss, staying on top of updates with your co-workers to keep them in the loop, or even participating in the occasional "water cooler talk" via text or Slack, internal communication is critical to help maintain focus. #EyesOnThePrize

Follow these 5 steps, and you'll be a #RemoteRockStar!