So, as many of you know, I “work from home”. I’m one of a growing number of people who has a home office, the opportunity to cuddle with a kitten in between typing, and no long commute in the morning.

Some thoughts on the subject.

1. It’s *not* working from home. If you work from home, you never get to “go home”. I’ve established a very clearly defined nook where I “go to work” in the morning. At night, I turn off the light in my little office and now I’m home. Yeah, yeah – I never left. But the mental separation is truly important if you’re ever going to expect to maintain a reasonable level of clarity and balance.
2. Regular work hours are important. They can (and are often) long, but they’re as normal as they were when I went to an office. Usually I’m up at the same time or before my other half…and sometimes (thought not always) I’m working after he gets home. Again…it’s these crazy little routines that keep you sane and focused on the job at hand…without mistaking a typical mid-afternoon Tuesday for the perfect time for a nap or Perfect Strangers marathon.
3. Take a shower already. In the morning…drumroll please…I get ready for work. Shocking right? You’re probably thinking that because I’m at home I can chill in my PJs all day and not realize I’ve lost a hairbrush for a week or so. But for me…that would be depressing. And quite honestly you never know who you’re going to run into on the street (the puppy has to go out sometime) – why take the chance looking like a vagrant?
4. You can curb feeling isolated. Telephone, email, skype…etc…etc…etc…inevitably, there are times that are lonely. There are also times where you’re left out of the loop or the last to know. It happens. But instead of getting angry or passive aggressive about it…what can you do about it? Don’t try to force watercooler conversation to get the scoop on what you’re missing – you’ll sound so fake and turn people off faster than you even know. Just stay in touch. Yeah, it’s harder now and takes a bit more effort because proximity isn’t exactly on your side. But it’s achievable – especially if you remember you’re not perfect either and this is an adjustment for the rest of your team too.

There you have it – that pretty much sums up how I keep my sanity, balance, and focus as a telecommuter. The way I see it, and from past experience, letting any of these key pieces go only results in a work day that never ends and productivity that goes down the drain.