The Disciplines of Working from Home

Written By Pam Rasmussen,
Technical Support at Rockton Software

Working from home – it’s everyone’s dream job right?  After all, how much easier can life be than rolling out of bed in your pajamas, going to the kitchen and pouring a fresh cup of coffee, then making your way to your desk and turning on your computer? There’s no traffic, weather, road conditions, time clocks, road construction, or stopping to fill that nearly empty gas tank. There are no worries about the periodic flat tire or car breakdown either. I have to say, after working in the corporate world for over 30 years and watching the commute time steal my free time away each and every day, working from home is bliss!

I work in a support role where I support Rockton Software Products that integrate with Microsoft Dynamics GP. I also interact with Microsoft CRM, creating and managing support cases. I have very specific hours where I must be available for our customers and Value Added Resellers (VARs). To be successful at this, I follow a structured and balanced environment that I've created. I treat my virtual job very much like I did my previous jobs at large corporations.

Working at home successfully for me comes in part from always being a fairly self-disciplined person, probably from how I was raised. As a child, when there was a job to do, that job got done before I dare think about play time. I also learned to finish what I started.  These behaviors instilled in me at an early age have helped me throughout my career.

If you have the opportunity to work at home during your career, I hope these things I do to make working at home successful for me, will help you too.

Create a Structured Routine
I have a set time I go to bed and wake up. Yes, I still use an alarm clock and yes, there are mornings I would love to sleep in, especially after staying up that extra hour to finish watching that movie the night before instead of recording it. I also shower every morning, do my hair and get dressed in casual clothing. Keeping to a routine is critical to being productive and succeeding. It is also just as important to turn off at the end of the week. When Friday night rolls around, I shut down my computer and close my office door. I flip my imaginary sign, “Closed for the weekend”.

The Smelly Armpit 
It is easy to let yourself fall into the lazy pit. The lazy pit is where you get up when you feel like it; you skip the shower and the teeth brushing, and don’t bother changing out of your PJs. You know what I’m talking about, where every day’s a Sunday. To ensure you don’t fall head first into this “pit”, you need mental strength and a lot of it. I imagine myself in an office building where people can see and hear me. I go through a mental checklist; would I wear this outfit to an outside job, or wear this hairstyle? If the answer is yes, I’m good to go.

Just Say No
We all have friends and families members that are either retired, unemployed or just plain don’t need to work. You may find they call you or want to come and visit. Some may even invite you to go to a movie, shopping or somewhere that sounds irresistible. I have found that being up front with them by telling them that even though I work at home, I have a job to do. It’s tough, especially when that once a year Labor Day sale is on, but I just say no!

Break for Balance
To keep in balance, it is beneficial to make time for breaks and lunch. Since there is no 12 o’clock whistle in my house, or co-worker to stop by my desk to get me for a coffee break, I find myself sometimes glued to my desk for hours. So, I really have to force myself to get up and move about several times a day to get that mental and physical break I need. Also, I cannot count the times I've been stuck on a support issue that I’m not sure how to resolve, and I take a break and suddenly the solution pops in my head.

Some of you may read this blog and think, really? You might think you wouldn't need to do these things to succeed. If that is you, then I guess you are done reading this and can go back to your smelly armpits and pajama pants. I can only speak from experience and these things have worked for me for the last four years now. I appreciate this rare opportunity, so I’m not about to screw it up!


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