The trend of telecommuting (the fancy term for working from home) is on the rise due to a variety of factors, and as such, is becoming very commonplace nowadays.  With school back in session, and the holidays (and sick season) just around the corner, many of us will find ourselves working from home at least a few days here or there. So, how do you make the most of your day(s) working from home? Well, we here at Diligex are pretty versed in this area, and are happy to share some of our 5 Tips to Being a Successful Telecommuter with you.

1. Separate Work & Home Life

   This is easy when you leave for work and lock the door behind you, right? Well it can be just as easy when you work at home too. Setup a dedicated space to work. An office, extra bedroom, attic, or basement all work well. What doesn’t work so well is the kitchen table or living room couch. Make sure you setup shop somewhere that you can close the door for privacy, so that the dog isn’t trying to run over and eat your laptop, and you’re not staring at the pile of dishes in the kitchen sink, fighting the urge to wash them while on your conference call. Eliminate those types of outside factors that wouldn’t be found in the office.

2. Get Ready for Work

   Easy. You don’t have to put on a suit and tie (though you can if you want to), but change out of your PJ’s, take a shower and put on some clothes (yes, yoga pants will do) so you’re in the right frame of mind to get to work and be productive. Many people find they are more motivated when they are actually “dressed for work”. We would agree.

3. Establish a Routine

   So you’re dressed for work and secluded in your home office – now what? Well, what’s your routine like on a day you’re in the office? Do you catch-up with coworkers as everyone files into the office, then check your emails, follow-up on outstanding items, and work on your ongoing projects – all before your 11:30am team conference call? Keep the routine the same at home. Do everything you’d be doing in the office, at home. Just because you’re working somewhere else doesn’t mean your schedule has to be thrown off  (your Outlook calendar still looks the same!). If anything, you’ll probably be ahead of schedule due to less interruptions from passerby’s.

4. Communicate

   All day long. This is our favorite. Telecommuting, especially if done on a regular basis, can make you feel a bit isolated. Make it a point to communicate with your coworkers, whether by phone, email, or IM – and if you want to step it up a notch – video conference (but make sure to complete tip #2 first). There are a lot of options, so make the most of them. Here at Diligex we use Slack all day long for group messaging and private messages – for both work and non-work related conversations. We never feel like we miss a beat with each other.

5. Take Breaks

   Just like you would break for coffee at the office, or a chat at the water cooler, make sure you’re taking breaks at home (but limit them, just like you would at the office). A break to refill your coffee or make a quick snack will help refuel you once you’re back at the computer. A quick phone call to a coworker to see how they’re doing will give you some of the human interaction you’re missing from not working side by side. Even while at the computer, change it up from sitting to standing, or if you’re on a conference call, use your headset and walk around your office instead of sitting still the whole time – mix it up. When lunchtime rolls around – take a break. Try to leave the house to get some fresh air and run errands, or squeeze in a quick lunchtime workout. Getting out of the house will refresh you so that you can come back focused and ready to take on the second half of your day.

Whether you’re working from home on a regular or ad-hoc basis, the guidelines are the same. Work and act as you would in a corporate office setting and set yourself up for success. After all, the same work needs to get done no matter where you are!