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Tips for Home Working
Hello,
Me and a colleague are about to be sent to a 'dark room' for a while to work on a new version of our company's product (three days a week).
Are there any home-working veterans with tips to help with the transition?
I was planning on using the gym to switch between home and work modes. Are there any other tips? (apart from driving around for an hour).
Tim H
Monday, March 1, 2004
Well, I personally take a shower before doing any work. Personally, showers clear my mind and I come out far more relaxed and focused.
I also try to setup the same "mood" when I do work. Play the same kind of music when you do work rather than when you are screwing around. If your brain makes the connection of classical = work and techo = play then obviously you will work better when listening to classical.
Im interested to see what other people do.
SteveA
Monday, March 1, 2004
I'm set up in a spare bedroom now, and try to only go in there for work. When I was on our main level (in a den without a door), I also used it for non-work, so often couldn't get into a productive mood.
Rick
Monday, March 1, 2004
First thing in the morning, I go to my local coffee shop. Its about a 10 minute walk. I use this time to mentally organize my day and review my goals. Its a much nicer 'drive to work', if you will.
I also make a point of trying to not eat at my desk. Otherwise, you end up spending 8-10 hours in the same room all day. This will drive you nuts after a while.
Last thing, limit your work day. Over time you will be tempted to go into your office at night to get a 'few more things done'. Try to avoid this. For as much as your brain tells you this is productive time ... it almost never is.
Good luck!
Canuck
Monday, March 1, 2004
If you don't succeed as well as you'd like to initially, keep trying: as with many activities, performance improves with practice.
Will you and your colleague be colocated, or working separately? There are many telecommunications tools, as well as maybe actually meeting in person once a week.
> I was planning on using the gym to switch between home and work modes. Are there any other tips? (apart from driving around for an hour).
A bicycle?
Christopher Wells
Monday, March 1, 2004
.... Well, I personally take a shower before doing any work. Personally, showers clear my mind and I come out far more relaxed and focused.
That's different from my working at home. I usually wait for the shower until I get stuck with my work or get bored or whatever. I feel much more like working after the shower.
René Nyffenegger
Tuesday, March 2, 2004
I start my home office work day by undoing the mooring ropes and cruising around the river for an hour. This has the added bonus of running the engine for a while and generating all the hot water I need for the day. The shower happens of its own accord sometime when playing on the gunals ands I fall in.
Life (and work) on a narrowboat. Cant recommend it enough.
MattOffSoftware
Tuesday, March 2, 2004
The hour run-out at dawn also charges the bank of domestic batteries. Far more important than the hot water.
MattOffSoftware
Tuesday, March 2, 2004
Oooo! Love the idea of a boat! The office is on the edge of a canal too, so I could chugg into the office.
We'll be working at our own homes, but will probably use MSN and email to keep in touch. Meeting at the office a couple of days a week.
I like the reserve boredom shower; although I'll have taken a shower at the gym. I don't want to disolve!
Great ideas, thanks!
Tim H
Tuesday, March 2, 2004
Pants.
I can't stress it enough. Pants. The overwhelming feeling of shame that you get the first time you're talking to your boss on the phone, your robe is open, and your hand is scratching in your shorts, is overwhelming.
Seriously, I found that simply getting up at the normal time, showering and dressing and being at my desk at normal time is sufficient to put me in a work frame-of-mind. Take scheduled breaks, including lunch away from your desk.
And yes, I did go through the experience above, and realized that a little discipline goes a long way.
Justin Johnson
Tuesday, March 2, 2004
I will agree with the shower and get out of the pyjamas comments. That is a could "okay it is time for work" thing.
But pants? Come on. The best thing about working from home is stripping all the clothes off when it gets hot.
Aussie Chick
Wednesday, March 3, 2004
On a more serious note, I have just gone back to university, so my mornings are mostly at uni, and it is about 2-3ish on a good day when I get home to work on my program.
So far uni has only be back three days (today being wednesday), and again, I am sitting at my desk staring at a blank notepad, knowing I need to design one simple registration form, it is really really simple what I am wanting to do, and I could do it in an afternoon, but it has taken me three and I have barely sketched anything. I am stuggling to break from uni mode.
The first two afternoons all I could think about was the molecular structure of certain materials and how the electrons behaved....somewhat akin to seeing tetris blocks while trying to sleep, after spending a few hours playing. It only happens the first few times, then it goes away.
Aussie Chick
Wednesday, March 3, 2004
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