working from home

I started working

from home this year and it's been great. Since I teach students I can't really let my laziness take over (I can't tell

them to wait so that I can finish off that bottle of vodka).

When I have translations to do I have the self motivation

factor so I usually work and play at the same time.

Right now I'm taking breaks from a translation (a boring manual)

by posting here.

What I love most about working at home is that I can work late at night.

I stopped working in

the mornings and now I do translations throughout the night.

When I used to audit

(on the road 200 days away every year), I would work at home unless I absolutely had to be in the office (e. g. to hand in

paperwork and the like). I admit I did a lot of gardening, but then again I also would work 12-hour days while on the road. I

suspect it all evened out.

PS If you can help it, don't ever, ever become a Road Warrior. No matter what kind of work

you do, living out of a suitcase is no fun.

I love working at home about 85% of the time, however there is that 15% that drives me, (and maximom) absolutely nuts!

I may be moving into an office the middle of next year or so, at least part-time.

I worked from home from 1990 - 1995. The working at home part was fine, though i did tend to work too many hours - once i started a report, i found it hard to stop. The rough part was the on-the-road part Jes has mentioned. I was away from home the better part of 4 weeks out of 5, my neighbours in an apartment building i lived in for 2 years thought i was a visiting nurse, checking on a tenant. <blecch>

The key to me to working when i was supposed to be working was having a dedicated work space - door closed, no interruptions allowed for any reason.

There were occasional days when i'd have a need to step away from the work space to do something like put on a full make-up face - to distract myself from the work at hand, as it was so intense, but the problem was usually recognizing when it was time to stop working. The dedicated work space made all the difference for me. I also 'dressed' for work every day. In the beginning it helped me get in the right mindset. No heels or pantyhose, but no sweats or leggings either.

ehBeth - very interesting ideas to me! I find that if I can get it together to put 'work' clothes on, then I am more likely to perk up and be more able to concentrate on work.

Cobalt - try using an alarm clock to give yourself scheduled breaks. I know there are studies on optimal amounts of time to spend working before you take a break. Allowing yourself an official break may help you recognize your 'official' work time as well.

I worked at home for about a year and a half. It was not a good thing for me for a few reasons, mostly my own lack of dicipline, but also my need to interact with humans. I got very lonely at times. Now I have a new job where I get significant face time with my coworkers and the public. I feel like myself again.

Swimp and ehBeth - maxdadeo - glad to see you today! I think that some of my problem with working 'at home' is that I actually spend part of that time at home and part "out in the field". Since I have the cable modem, it is sooooooooo easy to do the computer aspects online and then get side-tracked to other fun online. Ideas on self-discipline? This is no joke, I'd like your ideas!

Swimpy, I know what you mean about face time. I've had a few consulting gigs since I stopped working full time, and am currently trying to find time to write an article that an editor of a parenting mag has expressed interest in (signing with a little 'un.) And my overriding "job", of course, is being a mama. The lack of face time and everyday interaction is tough -- I've always had real-life friends and workplace friends, and while I expected it, I don't think I was really prepared for how much impact the lack of workplace friends would have on my life. I've stayed in touch with a few from L.A., who I guess have become real-ife friends, but it's just not the same.

I volunteered like mad for a while to fill that gap, but the volunteering was taking a ton of time and energy, and those are rather precious resources around here. So I recently dropped all but one commitment, and started a class -- that's been nice.

This is a pretty unique stretch of time, though, and I'm very grateful that I am able to stay home with the kiddo.

Well, ideas on self-discipline.
Unfortunately, I take after Mae West who used to purr,
"I can resist anything but temptation"

It sounds simple, but reward yourself with the fun stuff. And don't do the fun stuff until the not so fun and no fun stuff is done.

Remember, we eat our dessert AFTER we've eaten our vegetables.

It is a habit to be disciplined, and like all habits it takes time to develop.
Unfortunately, I never have.

Oh, you're no fun. Life is short, max's dad, eat dessert first.

If I worked at home the neighbours would kill me.
A chainsaw,angle grinders followed by constant hammering would NOT be appreciated in an apartment block.

SSSSHHHHH! Swimpy!

We are trying to help cobalt get motivated.

(I didn't want to tell her that sometimes, dessert is ALL I eat!)

Ya know, hebba, if somebody didn't know what you did for a living, that would be a really provocative set of tools.

Hee hee.Imagine the gossip!

Oh yea, cobalt. One thing I forgot to mention. You will gain weight. Well maybe you won't, but I did.

I worked from home from 1988-1994 and it was always my goal to get back to that, which I did, quitting my last full-time 9 to 5 last November. The freedom of working from home just can't be beat but it does take discipline. I learned the hard lessons of procrastination many years ago and my discipline level now is pretty high. The knowledge of a looming deadline keeps my nose to the grindstone. I can't imagine blowing a deadline. That, to me, is about the worse thing that anyone who considers themself a professional can do.

to remember that many people do not have a job - so you should try and keep yours

Pulling a roger here ... this thread ended 19 years ago.