Work
From
Home
Creating a Family Friendly Home Office
Environment
Lets face it, one of the primary
reasons the work at home option is so appealing to many of
us is that it puts us closer to our family. It allows us to
have our cake and eat it too. We get to spend time with family
while pursuing a career. The all-too-frequent reality, however,
is that we often end up feeling like we're shortchanging both
the family and the career. It is difficult to juggle both
roles simultaneously. Below are a few time-tested tips on
successfully managing the transition to a home-based career.
Free Info on our recommended Medical Transcription Program leading to an exciting home based medical transcription career
Set realistic expectations.
Be realistic enough to realize
from the start that there will be trade-offs. That is part
of what you are signing up for when you make the decision
to work from home - particularly if you have small children.
If you cannot get comfortable with these trade-offs then perhaps
you need to question whether a work-at-home arrangement is
right for you. For most people the benefits will far outweigh
the sacrifices. However, getting used to these new tradeoffs
will likely require a period of adjustment. Be patient, in
the long run most people feel that the small sacrifices are
well worth it.
Save your work frequently.
You never know when a well-meaning
child will inadvertently push a button, step on a footpedal,
or play with your keyboard. It is a well known fact that all
kids have a morbid fascination with the delete key - they
are drawn to it by some strange and irresistable force. There
are few things more frustrating than to have it cost you $40-$50
every time you make a quick trip to the bathroom. You will
inevitably return just in time to see the last page of your
morning's work being erased from the screen by your two year
old. Save your work frequently - especially right before getting
up from your work station. If you are going to be away for
a while (like over lunch) you would be better served to save
your work and close the file or perhaps even the word processing
application.
Develop a backup sitting arrangement.
In order to minimize stress and
ensure consistent productivity you should plan for those occasions
when you will require a sitter to watch your kids while you
conduct important meetings. For example, you may occaasionally
schedule meetings with clients, or need to call on a prospective
customer. You may need to spend an afternoon conducting interviews
or engaging in other activities that are not conducive to
interruptions. By developing a formal sitting arrangement
in advance, you will have one less thing to worry about as
you make preparations for these events. It may be possible
to find a neighbor or friend that wouldn't mind watching the
kids in exchange for pay. Many day care centers provide short-notice
drop-in service for a slightly higher fee. With a little planning
you will be able to meet your commitments and feel that your
kids are also being adequately cared for.
Free Info on our recommended Medical Transcription Program leading to an exciting home based medical transcription career
Create a secure storage area for important
files and documents.
Relieve yourself up-front of the
burden of worrying about lost, misplaced or damaged files
by investing in a lockable secure storage cabinet. Kids are
naturally curious and are liable to rummage through important
documents (usually with sticky fingers) at unexpected times.
This is a fact of life. So to avoid expensive rework (not
to mention the damage to your fragile emotional psyche) you
should take necessary precautions to ensure that your important
files are secure. The same thing goes for fragile and expensive
equipment and desk accessories. It's o.k. to own them, just
keep them safely out of reach. Take the time to babyproof
cupboards, electrical outlets, and the like so that you can
remove these worries from your mind.
Put your kids on a schedule.
Set a schedule for your kids and
then synchronize (as best you can) your work schedule with
theirs. This may require that you be firm with them at first.
Let your kids know that you have chosen to spend more time
with them at home, but that in order for the arrangement to
work they too will have to make some sacrifices. Let them
know that you expect them to to learn to be as self-sufficient
as possible.
Take breaks with the kids and do something
physical or creative.
Run, play, take a walk, read a
story, draw a picture, do a puzzleð you get the idea. Take
an interest in what they are doing and make them feel happy
to have the time to spend with you. Take advantage of this
unique opportunity. And remember, they grow up fast.
Organize toys and activities for the kids
in advance.
Take the time to structure some
activities that will keep the kids occupied and maintain their
attention while you work. Organize books, puzzles, coloring
books and toys so that they have easy access to them. This
will allow them to serve themselves with a minimum of oversight
and supervision on your part. If possible, set up a small
table and chairs in a location that will allow you to monitor
their activities while still attending to your work demands.
Take full advantage of nap time, video time and other quiet
times to maximize your output.
Take a nice lunch break together.
Get your kids involved in fixing
lunch, setting the table, and cleaning up afterward. This
allows you to spend time together while you work and provides
a great opportunity for positive verbal interaction that is
too often lacking in today's harried environment. Take the
time to really get to know them over lunch. Find out what
is on their minds and let them get to know you too.
Keep snacks and water cups within easy
reach.
You may want to consider subscribing
to a water service (complete with disposable paper cups) to
enable your kids to get their own drinks throughout the day.
Keeping snacks close at hand will also simplify your life
by enabling you to fulfill requests quickly and efficiently.
A little organization here will save you countless trips to
the kitchen for snacks and drinks.
Free Info on our recommended Medical Transcription Program leading to an exciting home based medical transcription career
|