After working from home for the better part of 10 years, I was laid off last year and subsequently took a job in an office building. At the time, it seemed like a fate only slightly better than death, because I LOVED working from home.

Fast forward 10 months, when, one morning, a couple of weeks ago, I decided to do some work from home. And then with the kids and the bickering and my wife and the TV and the and the and the...

I quickly dressed and sped to my office. Eight hours a day in a peaceful environment, listening to my iPod. I even view the occasional cat video. This ain't so bad after all.

Your tips are good... I try to plan to do the right things at the right times. I'm most creative and able to focus (and most want to be ALONE) in the morning, so that's when I like to write and draw. I am more restless and social in the afternoon so that's when I like to tackle stuff like phone calls, running errands, etc.

My other tip is don't be afraid to play hooky! It's one of the beauties of setting your own schedule. As long as you're not behind on your work, it's refreshing and fun to goof off sometimes, and you can sneak in some really good family time by breaking the rules.

I have always said that I wanted to work from home, but in reality I would be an unbathed 300 pound recluse who yells at the TV and drowns in my own mountain of debt. It would NOT be a pretty sight to behold.

AHH!! Working out with Coco! Love it!

You've inspired me to go take a shower today. Once I get through this bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. WOW! I feel like a work from home FAIL

Love the video!

I work from home much of the time as well, and can't insist enough on the importance of keeping a schedule. Just because I'm home does NOT mean that I am free--so I get to the point never to schedule anything during my working time.

Also, what has proved essential to me is to log my hours, and share them with a work buddy in a similar situation in a google doc spreadsheet. Every day I quickly list my time spent doing this or that, noticing negativity, countering those negative thoughts (sometimes you can turn into a bullying boss when you become one of yourself!), and then listing my goals for tomorrow. Then my friend (in another state!) writes something at the bottom like "good job!" and I do the same for her, and we keep each other going, and we feel like someone positive is there checking in on us.

My two rules for working at home:

#1- Do not sit down with the dogs (or any pet, for that matter) for even a minute. They will suck you in to their warm, snuggly cocoon of procrastination and it will take at least an hour to pry yourself away.

#2- Do not wander to the pantry every time you need a break. Your ass will not forgive you.

Oh! I get it. All that gym time? You're really in training to become a professional arm wrestler. ;o)

I've been working from home for 9 years now, and I'd say the most important thing people need to know -- especially if you're telecommuting for another company and not working for yourself -- is to SHUT IT DOWN at a certain point. One of the huge bonuses of having telecommuting employees for a company is that the employee is ALWAYS in the office. There's no saying, "Oh, I don't have that file with me," or "I'm stuck in traffic. I'll take care of that when I get in." You're in the office 24/7, and companies WILL take advantage of that, and of your strong work ethic, and the next thing you know, you're working until 9 p.m. every night and it's become expected behavior, not just the occasional late night. Working from home means you have to give yourself a time to turn it off for the day, and stick to it. Your company won't do that for you.

And speaking as a coworker to telecommuters with kids -- if you're doing the same job as others, and being paid the same as others, you should be producing the same output as others. Unless you have a unique job where you can adapt your hours to be longer if the kids need you during the day (like if you have your own company, you're a sales rep and can extend your day, etc), you shouldn't be working with your kids at home unless you have a nanny or some other kind of day care. Nothing is more infuriating than when I try to reach out to a coworker about something urgent and they're "away from their desk" for hours at a time because they're overseeing their kids. It's the other side of the coin from telecommuters who spend their whole day playing World of Warcraft. Companies figure it out eventually, and the rest of the people who could benefit from the conveniences of telecommuting suffer for it.

separation of church and state (home and office) is totally vital. though even with my home office in my basement, I found it really hard to turn off for the night. especially if I wasn't as vigilant as I should have been during the day with getting work done. I personally found that working from home was really not the right choice for me - I constantly felt pressure to do more while simultaneously goofing off more than I should, all with no social interaction. (I pounced when someone called or came home from work.) I'm glad it works for lots of other folks though...people who are better at sticking to schedules than I am. and, of course, people with assistants. winking emoticon!

I've been working from home now for almost 10 years. I do medical transcription. While I don't have an actual schedule, I do have to meet a 24 hour turnaround time. I usually get up at 4 AM (I know, I know), make my coffee and go straight to work. I then have three solid hours where my husband, son, and dogs are still sleeping, there's no phone ringing and no distractions and the amount of work I get done is insane. When everyone wakes up around 7 ish, that's when I take my shower, make lunches, do my chores, start laundry etc. When everyone leaves the house (by 9), I get back to work, and work until I'm done. Believe me though, I take a little afternoon siesta! The hardest part, I find, is that because you work at home, friends and family think it's okay to call and chat and keep me on the phone forever. I've had to start ignoring the phone. But it's really important to have a routine. Yes, some days I stay in my PJs...it happens. But you can make it work and I wouldn't change it for anything. I have the flexibility to do my outside chores during the afternoons and most importantly, I can get to all of my son's school functions, etc, and have time for my family at night.

Terrific video. I have been working from home for over 20 years. I really like it. I work more than if I was in an office and it is often hard to separate home/work parts of my life. In some ways I have more freedom and in some ways less, but I think the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

I like the idea of having a separate floor for your home office ...go upstairs and you are at work...go downstairs and you are at home. I'm more of a "sit in this chair and I'm working..."

I dance around my kitchen as well...a guaranteed mood booster!

Cynthia

Ive been working from home 15years; 23220000 hrs playing Bejewelled.

Word of advice: STAY AWAY FROM THE POPCAP GAMES!

I would LOVE to work from home. I'd like a schedule like someone I know used to have -- certain weekdays in the office, certain weekdays at home. That way you stay socialized as well as getting things done.

Mine is the kind of job I could do any place where I had a computer with a secure internet connection. I have a nice home office on the other end of the house from the HDTV (okay, fine, there's a 9" TV in there; cut me some slack). Sadly, my employer does not subscribe to the idea of working from home except under extremely exigent circumstances. They seem to be more concerned about what time my butt is in the chair in the office in their building than by how productive I am/am not.

By the way, IMO, the absolute very best part of the video is 1:23-1:31, the disembodied hand with the sign, followed by the knife for emphasis. I'd take a cue and keep a knife at my own workplace but there are signs all over the place that say "NO WEAPONS" and have pictures of a gun and a knife that, come to think about it, looks a lot like yours. ~8/

Great video...I work from home and found this extremely true.