Working From Home Kinda Sucks

[GhettoDogAllStars]

Ah the "pleasure" of working from home...

I have worked from home for about 2 years now, and it's definitely hard to stay motivated some times, but that is just part of the gig. I think it's important to understand that, because the way I see it it's just human nature. Since I have trouble staying motivated at all times, I just work around it. Sure, I'm supposed to work from 7-3, but I don't always. I'm always online when I need to be, but I'll either work when I need to, or if I'm in a groove -- sometimes that happens to be from 7-3. Other times, I'll get into a rhythm for several hours in the evening. I have worked through the night on several occasions, simply because I had momentum and I wanted to take advantage.

The worst part is the cabin fever. Like others have said, your best bet is to take regular breaks. I used to go out for breakfast and lunch every day. That was nice, but it got too expensive. I take regular smoke breaks, and sometimes even short naps (I have a futon in my office ). When the day is over I usually leave and get out into the wilderness to do some hiking or rock climbing.

The point is that I meet my deadlines, and work when it's most efficient -- not when the clock says to. You're not in an office anymore, so you have to sort of change your mentality. Of course, I write computer software, and I don't have to deal with people very much. If you have lots of meetings or need to talk to customers, then you'll be more restricted by the clock.

As others have said, make a dedicated office and do your best to make it as nice as possible. Get everything just right, and make sure you're comfortable. You know, some natural light, some plants, a comfy chair, artwork, etc. There are lots of things you can do in your home office that you can't do in a regular office. For example, I regularly play guitar when I have to restart my server or publish changes. I also find that playing music helps me get into a rhythm as well. I used to wear headphones in the office, but now that I work at home I don't have to. That's nice. It's important to take advantage of those kind of things. Sometimes it's hard to see what you can change, because you aren't really open to the change. Your mind has this image of what work/office should be like, and you need to reevaluate that now.

Good luck to you, and enjoy it!