You have a lot of perks when you work from home; the flexibility to set your own hours, to wear what you want to the office and take breaks when you feel the need. However, the reality of working from home can be somewhat different. With no direct supervisor, rules and regulations or structure, it can be easy to develop bad working habits. Here are seven work habits you should try and avoid when you work at home.

Working longer hours

When you work in an office, it is easier to turn off the PC and switch off from work for the day. However, when you work from home, it’s tempting to check work emails after your set work hours and do unnecessary overtime. Clients and/or work colleagues may also ring you after hours and on the weekends. It is important to set boundaries for yourself and your clients and only work within the hours that you have set for yourself.

Not taking any breaks

While the majority of office workers think that people working from home are constantly watching TV or videos on YouTube, the opposite is often the case and people are so consumed by work that they forget to take breaks. It’s important to get into a routine and take regularly morning tea breaks, lunch breaks and afternoon tea breaks. Change your work routine once in a while and arrange go out with friends for a well deserved lunch break.

Refusing to take a holiday

When you have your own business or you are a freelancer, it can be difficult to take a holiday when you are not paid annual leave. People who work from home often experience highs and lows and employees who go on holidays are less likely to experience work fatigue and burnout. You are given a lot of freedom and flexibility but it can be very socially isolating. You are more likely to return back refreshed, revitalised and ready to attack work with a renewed spirit and increase your productivity.

Going to work when you feel sick

A common problem with employees or sole traders is that they will still work from home when they are feeling unwell. Although you are not physically commuting to an office, you still need to rest if you are unwell. One of the reasons for this is that people who are freelancers or own their own business are not given annual leave so they may feel forced to ‘go to work’. However, you are running the risk of feeling worse and taking even more days off.

Losing your rhythm

When you first start home employment, it may be hard to get into a routine and develop a rhythm. Working from home gives people a lot of flexibility but you also need to have some discipline, develop regular habits and form a routine. The routine has to be in accordance with your work body clock so if you’re a programmer and you prefer working late nights, then your work day can start from 3pm for example but try and be consistent.

Working in an unproductive work space

While you may not be able to afford to have a separate work space fitted with all the latest mod cons, it is important to try and separate your home life from your work life. Occupational health and safety is just as important in a home office as it is in a large corporation. It is essential you have the correct lighting, an ergonomic chair and an office free from clutter and distractions such as children, the TV or gaming equipment.

Working in your pyjamas

One of the best things about working from home is the flexibility to wear casual clothes. Some people even take it a step further and work in their pyjamas all day. For some people dressing for work can also put them into work mode and make them feel more professional and confident. Choose the work attire you feel comfortable with and make an effort to dress for work. It will do wonders for your professional outlook.
The advantages of work from home are the flexibility and freedom but the lack of routine and consistency can sometimes lead to a lack of work/life balance, work fatigue and social isolation. By following these seven tips, you can put more structure into your day and develop a routine that works for you whether you’re a writer that likes working early in the mornings or a web developer that enjoys working late into the night.

Your long term dream may have been to work from home but reality has hit, you are suffering from a severe case of cabin fever and you keep refreshing your email every five seconds, desperate to connect with someone.

You are decidedly lonely and miss having lunch with your colleagues, Friday night drinks and even that annoying work colleague who had a crush on you doesn’t seem so bad anymore.

So how do you cope with social isolation when working from home? Here are some tips and career advice to overcome the loneliness and boredom.

Join an industry association

Joining an industry association will not only further your career but it will give you an opportunity to meet other people who are in a similar or related industry. Industry associations will hold networking events such as education seminars, dinners, conferences and so forth which will give you a chance to meet new people and give you a well deserved break from staring at the blank screen on your computer. And remember, all industry association fees are tax deductable.

Enjoy a change of scenery

If you work in a virtual office, there is no hard and fast rule that you need to be surrounded by four walls and a window (if you’re lucky). The wonder of modern wireless internet means that you can conduct your meetings via the library, a coffee shop, at a park or even at the beach. Instead of conducting your meetings via the telephone or the Internet, arrange to catch up with your clients face to face occasionally to break the monotony and arrange to meet friends and family regularly for coffee and lunch to break up the day.

Invest in further education

While it may convenient to do a course online or via correspondence, going to a college or education facility and seeing your classmates face to face may decrease your social isolation. It will give you a legitimate reason to get out of your home office and enjoy a change of pace and environment. Like industry associations, investing in further education is tax deductible if it is directly related to your job.

Join your local gym

Joining a gym is a good way to increase your social networks, decrease your social isolation and get fit and healthy at the same time. Joining a gym gives you the option of exercising by yourself or engaging in group exercise classes like cycling or boxing. Whether you’re doing group classes or flying solo, you will be surrounded by other people that you can speak to and it’s a good way to meet friends who have a common interest with you.

Walk your dog

Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world with over two thirds of households owning pets. While it may simplistic, walking your prized pooch forces you to get out of the house, take a break from work and increases your social interaction. According to the Australian Companion Animal Council, pets help people to build social bridges in communities, acting as social lubricants with neighbours or strangers, or as motivators for walking and use of parks.

Working from home is a luxury but it can soon feel like a prison sentence and very unmotivating if you let boredom to set in, allow yourself become socially isolated and cut yourself off from important social networks. Working from home doesn’t mean you need to be chained to the keyboard. Taking regular breaks during the day will leave you more refreshed and relaxed and in a better psychological frame of mine to start tackling those deadlines.

In Chinese culture, good feng shui is associated with good health and good fortune, while bad feng shui means bad luck, or misfortune. Here are five tips to feng shui your home office to help bring you prosperity and wealth in the New Year.

Separate home and work life

Ideally your office should be in a separate place to your bedroom, located as far away from your bedroom as possible and have a separate entrance. Your bedroom should remain a sanctuary and free of files and paperwork.

Position your desk so you do not have your back to the door

Your desk should be facing the door because, symbolically, business enters through it or your desk should be placed against a wall to bring you security. If you have to sit with your back to the door, place a mirror on your monitor so you can see who is approaching.

Declutter your workspace

Clutter drains your energy so make sure your office is free of clutter. Eliminating clutter will begin to clear away certain problems in your workplace and make room for something new and desirable to enter.

Enhance the southeast corner of your office

The southeast corner of your office is called the ‘wealth corner’ and is seen as a symbol of affluence and prosperity. Place the fax machine, telephone or safe this area to promote more business and success.

Make your office space inviting

Water is a powerful symbol of wealth and adding an aquarium to your office or a water fountain may increase your finances. In addition, add plants to the ‘wealth’ side of the office or fresh flowers to bring good fortune.

Whether you’re a skeptic or a firm believer, following these tips to feng shui your office will not only promote more positive ch’i in your life but also make your office space more inviting and conducive to working from home.

A lot of people decide to work from home to maintain a work-life balance but it can be very easy to add up the hours, work a 60 hour week and end up overworked and more exhausted. Here are five New Year resolutions to stop running yourself into the ground and burning the candle at both ends.

Work realistic hours

Working from home can mean that you are putting in more than a standard 37.5 hour week. You may start work at 7am and finish at 5pm but after dinner is cooked, the household chores are done and the children are put to bed, you may find yourself putting in an extra few hours before bedtime and working on weekends. Think of why you wanted to work from home in the first place and whether you’re achieving those goals. These hours may be acceptable while you are building up your business and establishing your company but you cannot sustain 60 hour weeks on a long term basis.

New Year Resolution 1: Stop checking your work emails after dinner and cutting down your work hours. This may mean saying no to clients or stop taking on extra work (see below).

Work a set number of hours

When you work from home, it is necessary to communicate the hours of your business not only to your clients but also to your family and friends. Family and friends should not call you during work hours or drop over unexpectedly. You also need work set business hours whether that is 9am to 5pm or 9pm to 5am depending on the nature of your business and only speak to clients within those set time periods unless it is an emergency.

New Year Resolution 2: Set firm boundaries with your clients, family and friends and only work a set number of hours.

Set realistic deadlines

Sometimes when we are establishing a new business, we want to make the client happy so we may set unrealistic deadlines which means you are working long hours into the night and on the weekends. This is a common mistake that new business owners make but with time and confidence, you will be able to negotiate better deadlines with clients and still get your recommended eight hours of sleep.

New Year resolution 3: Set realistic and achievable deadlines for projects that can be completed during set work hours.

Say no to clients

So business is booming and you have the luxury of having more clients than you have time. While this is an enviable position to be in, this may mean that you are working unrealistic hours to accommodate these clients because you do not want to say no to work. Working late hours should be the exception rather than the rule. While it is important to accommodate clients, you should also be setting meetings within your work hours and make a meeting out of those set times, the exception rather than the rule.

New Year Resolution 4: You may have to bit the bullet and refer your clients to a trusted contact who may be able to work with the client. It may mean that you lose a client but you keep your sanity which is much more important.

Stop checking your emails after work

It can be so tempting to check your emails before you go to sleep at night and answer any emails quickly to clear your inbox before you go to sleep. Before you know it, its 1am again and you’ve got ten emails left to read and your new John Grisham novel hasn’t been opened. Drop what you’re doing, step away from the keyboard and turn off the computer.

New Year Resolution 5: Make it a firm rule not to check any emails after 6pm. It can wait until the morning.

Working from home can be a dream come true … you can work in your tracksuit, set your own hours and be your own boss. Whether you’re a busy dad or mum working from home or you own your own business, you need to be more disciplined and motivated as you don’t have anyone cracking the whip to get work done or meet deadlines. Here are seven ways to keep you motivated while working from home and living the dream.

Get into work mode

While it might be more tempting to laze around in your pyjamas all day, having a shower and changing into work clothes puts you into work mode and a professional frame of mind. This will increase your motivation and desire to achieve your work goals for the day.

No open door policy

Friends and family may decide to drop in or call you during the day as they know you are working from home or you may have children who expect you to be at their beck and call. Call your friends and family back during a scheduled break or encourage them to schedule regular meeting times as you would if you worked in a physical office. In addition, set a designated time to speak to your children or do household chores. This will do wonders for your sanity and your workload.

Be organised

Being organised at home is just as important as being organised in an office environment. Even creating a simple ‘To Do List’ will help you prioritise your daily work tasks and help you plan for the week ahead. Diarise all important meetings and phone calls and schedule tasks in your Outlook Calendar. The tools you use do not need to be sophisticated but you do have to use them religiously for them to be able to make a difference to your workload.

Take regular breaks

It’s important to stick to a schedule but just as important to take regular breaks as you would in an office. Generally, this would mean two 15 minute breaks and a longer lunch break. Studies show that taking breaks in a workplace actually makes employees more productive, decreases stress levels and helps avoid injuries like eye strain and repetitive strain injury (RSI).

Decrease your social isolation

One of the reasons for a lack of motivation may be the feeling of social isolation when working from home. Take your laptop to your local library, a nearby cafe or park for a change of pace and mingle with the locals. Schedule lunch meetings at nearby cafes or restaurants or ring your work colleagues, clients and external suppliers instead of emailing. You can also increase your social circles by joining your industry association, getting a gym membership or starting a new hobby such as learning a new language or learning how to cook.

Avoid distractions

With no boss appearing over your shoulder, it’s easy to fall into the habit of checking your Facebook or Twitter account, answering personal emails or chatting to people via MSN Messenger. Similarly, it may also be tempting to watch your favourite show or get a few household chores done during the day. Try to get into the habit of working set hours with scheduled breaks where you can update your Facebook status, answer personal emails and watch a bit of day time TV.

Work standard hours

Where bosses may fear that employees are not working hard enough at home, the sad reality is that many employees who have the luxury of working from home may work more than the standard 40 hours a week. Don’t fall into the trap of checking your work email every time you turn on the computer and try and keep work and home life separate. Stick to your set hours and complete your work within the time allocated and don’t fall into the trap of a culture of long work hours. This can quickly lead to burn-out and a loss of motivation.

Find a balance between your work, life and play where you’re meeting all your deadlines but you don’t have to work long hours in order to so and you can maintain a busy social life. A work-life balance and a happy and motivated employee are equally important whether you’re working in an external office or working from home.