Jackson Free Press

Deirdre M. Danahar of Jackson-based InMotion Consulting and Coaching has operated her company from home successfully for eight years. She offers these tips for being productive while working from home.

Tips for Productive Work at Home
Treat your day like you are going to the office. Have a dedicated space for work, ideally a separate room with a door.

If a separate room is not an option, find a designated section of the room and declare it your work space. That room should not be your bedroom. Your work space is where you think, create and solve problems. "That doesn't always lead to a restful slumber," Danahar says.

Set yourself a firm work schedule, and stick to it. "I'm in my office early in the morning," Danahar says. She stays there from about 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day. "Condition yourself that those are your hours." She suggests avoiding the temptation of washing a pile of dirty dishes, folding laundry or sneaking in a Netflix session.

Remind other people what your boundaries are, both in space and in time. Danahar recalls a time when neighbors had a last-minute request to watch children. She's not saying never help out. If it's an emergency, of course you would help, just as you would if you commuted to a brick-and-mortar job site. The key things are that it can't become a regular thing and to know the difference.

Be accessible. If you take a telecommuting job or if you are working on a large project, make sure your boss or your client knows how to reach you. "Designate times to check emails," Danahar says. Let key people know when you are available to return phone calls or emails.

Dress for the office. It might be tempting to leave your Pjs on, but dressing the part of a professional affects your attitude. "At least put on clean jeans and a top," Danahar advises.

For more tips and other advice, visit Danahar's website at http://www.inmotioncc.com. Contact her at [e-mail missing].

A White Board, A Desk and Thou
OK, you're working from home either out of necessity or because you finally cut the corporate cord. But let's be honest, you get lonely and miss all the office accoutrement like copiers and meeting rooms. What to do?

Try co-working. Just this month, the first co-working space opened in Jackson on the third floor of Banner Hall. Creative Distillery, a branding and design firm that just moved into Banner Hall, is offering a segment of their space to freelancers and other workers who'd like a professional space, credibility and an address that looks enticing on a business card.

You can rent the desks, spaced evenly against the walls in a bright blue room, on a monthly basis. You can use the meeting space to meet with clients and hold brainstorming sessions. You also share kitchen space, printers and access to the roof. Co-owner Melia Dicker says co-working has taken off in cities such as New York and San Francisco, and it's a creative concept that Jackson needs.

"It's a collaborative, inspiring environment," Dicker said.

Co-working is so popular that it has its own magazine and website—and warnings about collaborative pitfalls:

• Don't assume your co-worker buddy is right for your job.
• Get signed contracts even from fellow co-workers.
• Don't be a pushover. You're a businessperson; don't waste your time with slackers or co-working gossips and politics.
• Deadlines still matter, no matter how cool the space.

Source: http://www.deskmag.com

Job Sharing
Another creative work structure allows two people to share one job and one salary. It's a part-time job with long-range goals.

• About 13 percent of companies allow some form of job sharing.
• Small companies are four times more likely than large ones to offer job-sharing options, 15 percent vs. 4 percent.

Source: Workplace Flexibility 2010, Georgetown University Law Center

Snowed In
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the cost allowing federal employees to telecommute is $30 million over five years.

But the cost-benefit might balance out. In 2010, John Berry, director of the Office of Personnel Management, claimed the government actually saved $30 million in estimated productivity during last winter's snowstorms. Workers who were snowed in were able to get the job done at home.

Source: Federal Computer Week, May 25, 2010.

Quiz: Should you telecommute?
Brie Reynolds on the blog FlexJobs offers this self-exam for those considering a telecommute to work.

1. Are you able to work without any direction, setting your own schedule, deciding on your tasks, keeping yourself in check and ultimately being highly productive?
2. Does the idea of working alone in your home without human contact all day NOT make you freak out?
3. Do you know how to communicate well over phone/IM/email rather than face-to-face?
4. Are you confident that you can stay on your boss' radar so you don't miss out on promotions, raises and other advancement opportunities?
5. If you have kids, do you have adequate child care, and do you understand that telecommuting and watching your kids don't mix?
6. Do you understand what motivates or distracts you? Make a list for each and compare the two.
7. Can you push yourself toward the motivational activities and away from the distractions?
8. Consider this scenario: You're working at home, and your friend calls to ask you to go to the beach for the afternoon. You have a ton of work to get done, and you should stay working, but if you went to the beach, your boss would never know. Would you stay working?

If you answered most of the questions yes, then telecommute in peace.

TIP: If you have trouble focusing on the task at hand on the job, it will probably be even more difficult to maintain self-discipline at home.
Source: http://www.flexjobs.com