Working at home tips?
 

What has worked for you to organize yourself better?

The interruptions thread made me think about it. I normally work too many hours in a day, I can take a break for a couple of hours and everything works just fine - BUT if I decide to take a whole day off or longer amounts of time (5 - 6 hours starting early - I'm talking weekends, I normally don't take those off either) my whole system crashes and sometimes it takes days to get back on track.

How do you deal with the routine? How do you make yourself stick to a limited schedule? Any tips would be greatly appreciated :)

Also, is anybody having ICQ problems today or is it just me? :(

I always create a separate space for where I will work and where I will not. This psyches you up when you need to accomplish stuff. Try to make that work space far or at least separated by a door.

Organizing your time just simply means just follow a To Do list every day. You get to do more and fretting things about stuff you forgot doing is avoided.

Another thing is to keep yourself active. Don't follow what I used to do and just sit all day in front of the computer. Take exercise breaks. I usually walk a few steps up and down the stairs for ten minutes. It also helps to clear your head. And watch what you eat.

Keep regular office hours.

One of the tricks I use is set office hours, from 9am until 6pm, in my home office. After hours means using the lap top from downstairs on a wireless connection. Then again, after everyone else goes to bed I usually work from 9pm till midnight every night anyhow.

I full agree with to do lists and setting a set schedule if
something is really pressing.
I myself like to keep a flexible work schedule this way I do not set any limits.
For instance today.. I was in the mood to watermark and upload several galleries.

My daily routine :

Check the website and message board
Check my sponsor earnings
Eat breakfast ( sometimes )

Tredmill ( atleast 2 hours ) ( Clears my head )
Plan my online activities (depending on my mood that day)

Gallery creation
Finding new sponsors
Rotating banner ad's
Watermarking
Updating
Surfing the net seeing what everyone else is doing

Activities depend on my mood but usually I have very productive days.

Oh man, working from home is brutal. I found the best thing to do, is start your day at the same time and dress as if you were going to work....no not a suit, but not in your PJs either. I did it for 3 years, don't think I could do it again. Best of luck!!

yeah icq sucks :)

i am a workaholic too so I can`t give any advice but some tips would be appreciated :)

You have to get out of the house for a couple of hours to get air. Otherwise you won't operate at 100%.

Get a tiny ass office.

It's the best way to go.

I agree.. also take a lunch etc just as you would if you were in an office...
And when i worked from home I would get up and grab a coffee and a paper in the morning..
Just like getting up and driving to work this helps to start your day and makes it feel more like work then just being at home..

basically- The answer is a schedule: Get up, get dressed, work, head to Starbucks for human contact, coffee and the morning paper, return home, work, lunch, work.

Thanks for the input everyone :)

When I do take a break I become flakey, I figure I've been on overdrive for a long time. I am considering taking a break and start up with a better cleaner schedule taking into account all your suggestions :)

I agree about the getting dressed for work thing.

I used to work butt ass naked, but it freaked out the UPS guy.

the only way I seem to be able to separate myself from my computer is to have my blackberry. LOL And I spend many days in my pj's and work long hours....however, as I type this i am sitting on my back patio enjoying the Florida sun and the fresh breeze that is blowing right now. I love working from home!!!

Annik, try early hours, I switched a lot of my work from 7.30 to 10.30 am and then I take a break and resume around midday, productivity has soared ;-)
Early hours are better since distractions are less, besides your brain feel fresh, like having a reboot LOL

To Do lists definitely help.