The home office. Now a mainstay of my abode. After traversing across the country for love and work, all I wanted was work-life-balance (and freedom from bad hotel gyms). Making the switch from the office to your home can be a blessing, but it can also present a set of challenges. Below are a few lessons I’ve learned working from home.
Make a space for your home office. You may decide to work at the kitchen table one day a week, but you need a dedicated space to stay organized. It doesn’t need to be fancy. Bonus: when tax time comes you can itemize & deduct home office expenses (chaaa-ching!).
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Use an online calendar? Set recurring reminders to get up from your desk, at least every other hour. Don’t fall prey to sitting all day. My dog is a great reminder to take a quick stroll outside. Keep a few things on hand via my “home gym”. Choose a 5-20 minute online fitness video.
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Make an appearance. Just because you work from home doesn’t mean you won’t need to step into an office ever again. Schedule meetings on a regular basis to see your leaders and co-workers. Face time is even more important and valued when you work from home.
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Email is your primary form of communication as a home office worker. Everyone – home office or office worker is overly-accesible at all hours. Set boundaries and a limit to your working hours. Make a mantra, à la Russell Simmons: “I don’t do sh*t before I meditate.”
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Keep your ass outta the kitchen! Yes, it’s blunt. Know what kind of eater you are before you begin working from home. Boredom-induced? Stress? Understand & acknowledge your triggers. Avoid over-eating by planning healthy meals and snacks in advance.
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Make it clear to your family, significant others or roommates that you have working hours and job is numero uno during those hours. Working from home offers flexibility, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have time to run errands or attend to appointments at all hours.
Working from home isn’t for everyone. It takes organization, discipline and motivation – mani/pedi appointments and long walks on the beach will get you fired. Many companies are just beginning to explore the potential benefits of flexible schedules and work environments. I am more productive at home, but at times it can feel isolating. On those days I go into our office or try to find a quiet spot at a coffee shop.
Hey Telecommute/home office workers! Share your tips! 
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Great article!
I can identify as I had to adjust to working from home almost 2 years ago as well!
It was very isolating initially and had to make a point of getting out of the house and seeing people. Whether it was friends or clients.
2 more thing I would add to your list is:
1) Get dressed! I think dressing up for work makes a difference mentally even in your home office. Rather than working in your PJ’s, make a point of taking a shower and wearing something you’d wear to an actual office. Doesn’t have to be a suit and tie, though :-) But avoid the boxers only home office attire ;-)
2) Do not take a break AT your desk!
When taking a break, get AWAY from your desk and make a point of doing those other ‘little things’ away from the work space (checking facebook, twitter, especially eating your meals!)
that’s my $0.02 :-)