Guest Post – Tips for Staying Focused and Driven with the Daily Grind of an At-Home Career
Sunday, September 11th, 2011
With all the resources anyone could ever need available online, more and more individuals are developing successful careers from the comfort of their own home. While at-home careers present numerous perks be your own boss, set your own schedule, do what you love, work in your own space there are also several aspects of working from home that make it more challenging. As your own boss and your own employee, individuals who are able to succeed as freelance or at-home careerists must possess considerable self-discipline. Working from home means the potential for daily distraction, lack of motivation, and possibility of laziness. To truly succeed with your at-home career, try these four strategies to stay focused and driven from day to day:
Create a Strict Schedule
One of the most difficult aspects of working from home for most people is maintaining a consistent and productive schedule. Of course, creating a schedule that you are able to stick to is also one of the most important aspects of working for yourself and from home. Without a consistent (and strict) schedule, it can be very easy to put things off and fall behind. Because you are working from your home, a place that traditionally accommodates leisure time, it can be challenging to uphold a traditional 9 to 5 work schedule. However, it is often good advice for new professionals trying their hand at-home careers to treat the first few months like a traditional job. If your schedule permits, start working at 9, take an hour lunch at noon, and then stop working at 5. This will help you adjust to the idea and feel of working from home. Once you have found your footing in your home office, try adjusting your schedule to something that suits you and your work better. However, once you have developed a schedule that works for you, be strict with yourself. Maintain that schedule in a consistent and focused manner, so that you can be as productive and effective as possible with your time.
Keep an Orderly Work Environment
