Working From Home: Paradise, Prison or Both?

I have the feeling that everyone thinks that working from home is like a get out of jail free card. And why wouldn't they? You can work in your jammies, blast 'I am Sasha Fierce' to your heart's content, catch up on 30 Rock bloopers, or even pop a batch of cookies in the oven just for kicks.

The reality is that working from home (WFH) successfully takes a rather large amount of discipline when it comes to planning, time management, boundaries and transitioning between "work-brain" and "home-brain." Whether you WFH full-time, part-time, on the occasion Wee Savvy needs special accommodation, or even if you have trouble shutting off your PDA at night, our WFH survival guidelines will make sure you get the most out of your at-home workdays and smoothly reclaim your personal space.

Savvy Working From Home Survival Guidelines:

• Work Space: You don't have to go on an Ikea FLÄRKE shopping spree, but you do need to set up a designated work space with a chair, surface, and appropriate lighting.
• Think About Showering: Sounds like a no-brainer, but if you're like me, sometimes it can be 4PM before you realize you haven't showered. Do it right when you wake up to stimulate your mind, signify the beginning of the workday and set it in motion.
• Privacy: If you can help it, never give out your home number and personal email address. Keep a separate cell phone and email account for work-related communication. Trust me on this.
• Boundaries: If your schedule fluctuates, you must form an impenetrable barrier around hours that you are not working to prevent you from feeling you're always on call. Turn off the phone, sign out of your email, and bury your PDA in your sock drawer when you're "out of the office."
• Transitions: Particularly if you're full time, create a distinct differentiation between "office-vibe" (bright lighting, stimulating music) and "home-vibe" (soft lighting, candles, soothing music)
• Create a Punch Card: Even if it's just in Excel, keep track of your hours and what you've accomplished. Does a casual email check after dinner turn into a 45 minute mini work-session that could easily wait until the next day? Don't give away your time if you can help it. Also--be a good boss and give yourself periodic breaks. Mark those down too.
• Eat Well: Have a proper breakfast to get your day in motion and take time to make a decent lunch. After all, one of the benefits of WFH is having access to a kitchen--use it!
• Shoes Count: Some people claim that putting shoes on helps set the boundaries between working and living, but I feel one of the benefits of WFH is being comfy. Why not try it out and see what feels right to you?