Working from home is often seen as the ultimate luxury. No commuting in a jam-packed train carriage or bumper to bumper in a traffic jam.
Making the decision to give up the office can be life changing and it is becoming more and more popular. In 2005, the number of people working from home increased by 800,000 and has been steadily rising since. Although not all of these moves were by choice, workers who lost their jobs due to redundancy or other reasons have embraced their new lifestyle.
Exercise
By setting yourself some simple rules, working from home could be the best decision you ever made. Working in the same place you live in means you will need to make time to exercise, as you will no longer have the walk to the station, the lunchtime stroll or a commute between meetings. Ensuring you get out at least once a day is essential for your health, well-being and productivity.
Company
You may relish the silence of working alone, but we all need company at some point and making sure you keep up with friends and business acquaintances will keep you sane.
Working hours
Setting your own working hours means you can start early, or finish late, but ensuring you stick to your own self imposed hours means your downtime will be protected.
Your working space will be determined by what kind of work you do. For ideas on how to create the perfect home office space, see this recent article published in The Independent; If your work is done solely on a laptop computer, then you could invest in a car lap tray, such as these ones from Racing Car Lap trays, which let you work anywhere, including on the move.
Breaks
Having a lunch break is important to keep yourself alert and focused and will stop you constantly snacking. Using your car lap tray means you can eat outside in the garden or relaxing in the lounge.
Chores
However tempting it is to do chores, keep your home and work life separate. Mowing the lawn in the middle of the day, or sorting out the garage, will encourage procrastination habits.
Holidays
Finally, don’t forget to take holidays. It is important to recharge the batteries and have some quality time out.
