Work at Home Success!

When people think about working from home, many imagine sleeping in late, lounging around in their pajamas and long leisurely lunches. “But what people need to realize is that even though working from home offers a great amount of flexibility, it is still a professional job and it needs to be treated as such,” says Holly Reisem Hanna, the founder of The Work at Home Woman, an award-winning blog dedicated to helping women and moms fulfill their dreams of working from home or becoming self-employed.

“Individuals need to learn best work at home practices, like setting office hours, having a dedicated office space, avoiding home-bound distractions, and actually dressing as if you were going to an office,” she says. “This will help keep your mindset sharp and focused.”

I can vouch for that. I’m working from home today and it’s no easy feat. I woke up, got dressed, powered on my laptop, and got to work—but it’s sometimes difficult to stay focused with so many distractions and temptations around me. I only work from home under special circumstances—maybe five or six times a year—but some do it more frequently, and others work out of their homes permanently. It’s not for everyone, though, and some do it more successfully than others.

“I think it depends almost entirely on the individual,” says Jenny Foss, a recruiter, career coach and founder of the career blog JobJenny.com. “As someone who made the transition–first to working part-time in an office and part-time at home, and then to being at home full time, and now, back to a split schedule–I understand first-hand that working from home is much different than an office environment. Those who are going adjust well to it, and be happy with working from home, will be those who are self-disciplined with their time, don’t rely on face-to-face banter with co-workers throughout the day, and those who are independent when it comes to administrative issues that will invariably crop up throughout any given week.”

Jacquelyn Smith

Forbes Staff