Do you work from home?
If you do, we’d love to hear your favorite piece of advice for others who work at home or are looking to start working from home on the topic of how to work effectively.
Simply leave a comment at the end of this article and share your tip! That way we can all benefit as we read each other’s advice. I’ll try to compile everyone’s comments into a follow-up article for next week.
If you can’t think of your absolute number one tip, feel free to just share one or more tips that can help other Sparkplugging readers learn how to get things done as a work at home entrepreneur.
Once again, today’s question is:
What’s your number one tip for working at home effectively?
Okay, I’ll go first. 
I’ve worked exclusively from home for over five years.
My number one work at home tip:
Separate. Create a special space and time in which to focus on professional work, and try to keep it separate from your home life. I’m not saying you should lock yourself in your home office from 9 to 5 every day – just that you should carefully decide when is “work time” and when is “home time,” and where you want your home office to be.
Every time I’ve followed that bit of advice, I’ve found myself enjoying the work from home life much, much more.
Okay, your turn! What’s your number one tip for working at home effectively?
If you liked this article, you might also enjoy:
- Following my Own Advice on Working from Home
- Weekend Conversation :: What’s the Best Part About Working at Home
- Weekend Conversation :: What’s the Worst Part About Working at Home
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Jim Pearson has spent more than 25 years helping small and mid-size businesses find solutions to their business problems. He specializes in sales, marketing and rapid revenue growth and has helped hundreds of companies make more money.
Gene Culver has more than 15 years of diverse business experience across the music industry, telecom network marketing and business coaching. His specialty is helping individuals with marketing, their internet presence and lead generation.
My number on tip for working at home is to have set office hours, and let everyone know it. You will be more productive, and anyone who needs you will know when you will be most receptive.
My #1 tip for Working at home is a set routine. This way my work AND my laundry gets done every day.
Know what you are going to do next. It is way too easy with out anyone watching to get distracted between tasks and realize that an hour has been wasted figuring out what you need to do.
My best tip for working at home besides designating work verses home time is to decide what you exactly do in those times. Is balancing the check book a work or a home thing? When is the best day or time to clean that litter box? What evening of the week is best to make work calls? Having a schedule helps often when you find yourself distracted by the home environment. Oh, that’s a Tuesday thing and it’s only Monday – I’ll pause and get back to the things to do called Monday!!!
Know where you’re spending your time. It’s unbelievably easy to fritter away your time doing things that just aren’t that important in the grand scheme of things. My most productive days begin with a list of two or three business tasks that absolutely must be accomplished, then following through and checking those items off before moving on to those other very interesting items vying for my attention.
My #1 tip is to never give up when it comes to working at home because there are many great network marketing opportunities out there, but if you don’t know your goal and what’s needed to get there then your basically lost.
Yes, separating is great tip. Althought, as time goes by, private life always find the way to sneak into home office.
So, always stay awake and aware of that, too.
Hi Easton,
My number one tip working from home would be to quite simply have a daily routine in place,basically to keep you motivated!
The best way to do this is at the end of your allocated home office time each day summarize what you have done then plan what you need to do the next day by writng a list.
Leave this list on your desk ready for the next time you start your work period, again make sure you finish them tasks and repeat the process daily, this way you are constantly moving your business forward!
Thanks for the post….Ed.
Make a to-do list for your week and your day–before the day begins. Know what you need to get accomplished, and make sure at least one of those accomplishments is driving your long-term goals forward. When all of today’s items are accomplished–stop!
-Erica
I get distracted by the internet. Becaue I am always trying to stay apprised of what is going on in my interest area, I feel this compulsion to keep up-to-date. I think it is important to set aside time for work and time for the internet.
The most productive tip that I could give would be setting a schedule for yourself. I know that there are a lot of people who work from home because they don’t want to set one, but I am many times more productive when I hold myself to this principle.
Use a timer!
If you are organizing meetings you can use online meeting minutes tool at http://minutesofmeeting.net. Its very robust, easy and simple way to capture, distribute & track meeting minutes. I am using it since 1 year and its really helpful.
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Make sure you have very few distractions and take a 5 to 10 minute break every hour or so just to rest your eyes, make a personal phone call, ect. Cause remember when you working at home your working and if your not working you won’t make any money.
i have a hosting company.i Think working from home nice ,simple, comfortable. Sit front pc and work!
I can fiddle away an entire day without a plan…The Plan – get in my work room for at least an hour (which always turns out longer)every single day, even it is to clean and organize.
My number one tip for working at home would be time management! Having lots of time doesn’t make you successful, managing your time makes you successful! Learn to manage your time well and you will be set.
First and foremost, treat it like a real business and don’t volunteer too much info to family and friends unless they ask for specifics (people are generally ignorant when it comes to home businesses htinking there’s no way anybody can mke a real living). In this case be proud to answer their questions and keep going about making a great living!
this is my first time visit your site. Its very nice to read article in your site. very informative..
by the way, I think separating is great tip..It can make our life easier..
Sometimes I find I need a change of scenery. That could be moving my laptop into anther room in the house or going to the local coffee shop or library for a couple of hours.
It’s amazing how productive you can get buy simply changing your environment
My best advise to the new business owner is to make sure to setup a specific amout of time dedicated to your new business. This is crucial. You must be dedicated with no distractions to operate your new business successfully.
Don’t laugh. My tip is get dressed. As tempting as it may be to work in your bathrobe, it just doesn’t cut it. You’ll work better and be more professional if you’re dressed for the office.
Sorry about the double post. I hit submit before i finished. LOL thanks
homeworking is great alternative but its difficult to get social contacts… thats my opinion
You need to accept that once you walk in to your ‘office’ that you’re no longer at home. If you were leaving home to go to a traditional job and the bed wasn’t made, dishwasher loaded, load of wash going, etc. it wouldn’t get done til you got home. Don’t think that that because you’re home you’ll have vaccum streaks in your carpet and you can take calls from friends to catch up.
My #1 tip for working at home effectively is planning ahead.What is the most important marketing task of the day? When you have done the most important marketing task for the day, you can move on to something else.This helps staying focused.
my best working at home is internet marketer. because its simple, funny, and big revenue..
I think the best tip I can give is to have a plan each day or each week of what you want to get done. Write it down. I find I am MUCH more productive when I sit down at my computer with a written list of what I want to get done that day.
Also – make sure you are working on different aspects of your business all the time, such as marketing, producing new products, promoting your email list, getting more traffic, etc. Don’t give your time to just one aspect at the expense of the others.
Oh I’ve got one…don’t set up your home office on you couch! It’s easy and tempting, especially if you just use a laptop.
Working at home is a freedom few unjoy and your tips are crucially apt for the occasion.
Learn to say no. Friends tend to pop in for coffe on my days working from home. I have had to learn to say I can’t if their is a deadline looming.
Plan out your work as if you are in the office and set clear cut deadlines for work to be completed.
I think one shouldtreat it as if you really where at work but with a little bit more relaxed enviroment.
What works out for me is to have a plan for the week, an overview of what you want accomplished by end of the week if you will. Once you have this in place, get down to detailed tasks and try to create a daily schedule for every individual task. At end of the day, review what has been done, if you still have room/time for some more, try to pick out and complete those easy tasks scheduled on a different day. When you do this regularly, you will be amazed of your results!
Plan what you want to accomplish for the week. Once done, you can easily break the tasks down and create a daily schedule. Track task completion and believe me when you narrow down those to-do’s, you’ll be surprised how productive you were for the week!
Great post and lots of good tips. My suggested tip is to figure out what it takes for you to focus on a task and get it done. Timers and unplugging from the net for a specified amount of time work best for me.
I agree that everyone should have a schedule, but schedules may not be enough. The number one piece of advice I could give any person starting or that already owns a work at home business is to be excited, overall interested, and truly like what you are doing.
The more interest you have the more you will be inclined to get involved in what you are working to achieve. If you have used or experienced the product you are trying to sell, you will be more inclined to adding your personal touch on any reviews you write or advertising you do for that product ultimately creating the most value for your customers.
Take Care,
Chris
I agree with most of the other posters, the most important part is making sure you are getting everything done on time by making deadlines and using calendars effectively. If you find that you aren’t hitting your goals, be honest with yourself about what you can do to get more accomplished.
Getting dressed in the morning! It makes it feel as if you are actually doing something not just starting your workday in your pajamas…but it’s been known to happen.
I like this post! Congrats! (Even the blog is pretty good..)
Make sure to have a to do list either in your organizer or have it written in a bulletin board that you can always see while you’re working. I observed that with a to do list, I get to finish all the work i need to do which saves me time for my family.
Hey right now I don’t have any tip as I am just thinking to start doing work from home…but I got really very good info from here…I will come back here soon.
I agree with everyone here, You need to separate fun from work. Schedule when where and what you will do. But, still take advantage of the freedom of working from home – take some nice breaks
i would love to working at home, in mey eyes you´re do a lot more work! unfortunately i have to stay in my office 8 hours during the sun is shining
Take a 30-minute walk in the middle of the day to recharge the batteries.
- to do list on a scrap piece of paper with 2-3 things for the day
- use the pc as a tool, like a typewriter. no entertainment until the to do list is done
My number one tip would be to do a lot of research on the web. There are a lot of work at home opportunities out there. But not all are legit and pay very well. So you must read and read and read until you find the best online job that suits your skills.
Listing out your tasks is a good one. Writing down “to-do’s” always helps in getting things done escpecially if you’re one of those you can’t seem to stay on target most of the time.
One tip I have is to stay current and learn as much as you can about your business or product. I’m a knitter and I find it helpful to watch how to videos while knitting. That helps me grow and stay motivated.
If you are able to get an income generating business going that is internet based it gives you the freedom to work anywhere in the world. If you are making US dollars online and live in central america you can live like a king or queen.
Excellent advice and info…This article really summarizes nicely the concept of social marketing and how you may enhance your business with this new trend and powerful marketing vehicle…
That is an awesome tip to successfully work from home.
Even as you have the freedom, you have to make it work like in office. You should dedicate a particular room in your home & have fixed timings just like you said.
You can sometimes be a little late but try to be disciplined. Over time, you will make some serious money from home. It is right to say that a home business also requires dedication just like your office job!
My profuctive tip would be: Write down (on a noteboard or other) what you need to do and stick to it. Stay organized and get rid of unecessary distractions
I work from home as well, and the most effective tip I could anyone wanting to or trying to work from is: have the people you live with RESPECT the fact that what you are doing is your job!
im use a laptop at home…
I’d love to hear your favorite piece of advice for others who work at home or are looking to start working from home on the topic of how to work effectively.
He who conquers his self is greater than he who conquers a city. This adage is a requisite for the discipline needed to operate from home.
My tip is to only promote products and services you actually have an interest in, that way you will enjoy your work
The number one trip is to stay focussed and to stay on track.
Remove all distractions – be ruthless with your email in box – unsubscribe your self from everyone but those whom you really trust and need.
Set your course of action and tweak it as time goes on. Do not abandon your business plan in search of flavour of the month.
Have faith in what you’re doing and why you’re doing it
My #1 Tip for being productive at home is every night before you go to bed, create a list of 5 things you are committed to doing the next day that are going to propel your business forward.
Stay committed to doing this every single day and watch your business flourish. I think people allow too many things to distract them and they are all over the board during the day, i.e. checking email every 5 minutes, getting up and going to the kitchen every 30 minutes. Sound familiar? I used to struggle with those things but now that I have a daily roadmap, I am way more productive.
I’m in agreement with the previous posters who’ve mention making a list. I make what I call my flight plan for each day. It’s a list of the things that must and can be done that day. And unless there is an emergency, I don’t deviate from it. When the last thing is done, I have arrived at my destination. Then I debrief and quit for the day.
Whenever I’ve attempted to work without a plan, it’s highly unproductive, I’d have been better off going to the zoo…
not so important to work at home in importantly, they worked out at home to reflect ..
My best tip for working at home would be break down major tasks into small actionable daily tasks that are easy to focus on and complete
I do not have a job at home, loyal times in the office routine work. I really hope have a job myself at home and need not be moved to tired to go. Can you have good advice for me? what is the appropriate work done at home?
Lesson learned… “Find some time in a day to stay away from home!”
Go out for a stroll in the countryside, a walk in the park, jog around the block, go have a swim, breathe some fresh air…
Believe me, you would want to do this before you get burned from spending too much time at home and see your home as a “workplace” rather than a “home!” =)
Make sure your home office has a door with a lock.
Make a calendar and stick to it. You can make your game plan from things like twitter time to stock checking. Every little thing is important and the more you budget time for the less you will put off and the more you will get done.
Don’t forget to wear your slippers…very important!
Resist temptation!
When working from home, it’s all to easy to lose hours tweaking a spotify playlist, checking Twitter or tidying up. By avoiding procrastination, you’re much better off.
Great advice. I will agree with Clayton. Do not set up shop on your couch. Instead, set it up on a desk with plenty of room for scattering papers about. Sitting in front of a desk always makes me more productive.
Great question and tips!
My best tip would be to check your goals every day. It’s too easy to get distracted.
Every day I think about what I’m working towards and make sure I am doing what I need to do to get there. Of course daily lists help keep you on track too as many people mentioned.
Also, be brutal in cutting off dead weight. I often like to go through my projects and websites and see where I got off track. If it’s not helping me get to my goal, then I drop it (or sell it, etc).
Hey i got one keep focused and don’t let anything distract you. Set a time for work and a time to take breaks and spend time with family. This keeps you organized working effectively at home.
i agree with your advice, i’ve been working from home for a while now and one issue i always had was getting too comfortable at home. There would be days when i would do all my work from my bed, this made it hard to get anything accomplished. Another thing i would say is don’t keep any distractions around such as TV, games, or food.
Get up an hour earlier if you can to work on your home business.
THat equates to over 300 hours per year. THink of what you can achieve if you sleep one hour less.
Enjoy
Several great tips here. Separating the work area from the home area, planning what you’re going to do each. Thanks for the reminders.
Alan
setting out a list of what to do for the day before the day begins. Knowing what areas that require more attention and what areas that needs to be accomplished, time management is essential, therefore once you have finished what you set aside to do, stop to do other things and carry on the next day
Me? time management , because if you are working at home, you will be more prone to day offs.
The ability tooperate from home requires a unique form of discipline altogether to be successful.
I agree, I separate work and play. I also get up each morning and walk around the block. I find coming back to the house and going straight to the office helps. I also walk round the block after work to “get home”!
Clayton is right, never work on your sofa or even worse with the TV on in the background. Get rid of as many distractions as possible because even vacuuming the floor or emptying the dishwasher will tempt you away from your computer!
First step, chores planning. Daily Chores – write a list of your daily … Organizing house chores so they do not consume your work days. You don’t want to lose any business ideas because of house chores.
Take proper space. Separate work from home. Set regular hours and stick to the schedule.Start the day properly.Make sure you have everything you need to do your job at home.
Here’s my tip, don’t include “stat checking” in your actual work time. I can spend over an hour a day checking my web stats.
The thing I find difficult is to manage expectations with my wife.
I suggest talking to your spouse about what work you do at home and why you are working there. Explain that the “Honey Do” list get done on non-working days. Explain that while your time is flexible, you still must work the same (or more) number of hours to get the job done.
Most important thing is to get a confortable place at home for work and like said before SEPARATE life from work
I am just starting to try to work from home so these tips are great. thanks for sharing
Hey guys,
My number one tip would be;
At Most, Always strive to give great value/content In All your online marketing efforts.
At the Least of it, always try to over-deliver ?
Never view potential customers as cash cows.
Always ask yourself after you’ve finished a project would you, read/watch, listen, like? or use
What it is your offering.
Does whatever you have to offer make you feel proud, if it’s yes then
more than likely your on The right track!
And finally when the going gets tough on your quest to reach the top, keep going!
The only difference between where you want to be with a home based business and those at the top is they took action a little earlier.
No matter how frustrating it gets, “JUST KEEP GOING” that’s really the only answer to getting to where you want to be!
To your online success!
Regards; worral a.k.a torrentman. ?
There will be times where you can’t be bothered to do much work or there be times when you will try and cram too much work in for one day. Always have a schedule, a keep to that schedule every day.
Yes you are very right in separating the home work and office work. That’s good tip. My tip is that, set up proper timings, and give yourself a break.Prepare some time sheet and work according to that.
if you plan to create a website, then you will need a lot of time for link building. So I suggest at least 3 hours a day of hard work in the begning.
Dont spend too much time doing one thing. Schedule yourself so that you spend an adequate amount of time in every area of your business. Works for me!
Write down a to-do list. That is the best way to stay on task. Also, lock your pets out of the room. They are a huge distraction.