Self-employed/peeps Who Work At Home

[Anastasia13]

What strategies do you use to stay on task/disciplined when it is up to you?

[dUSt]

I always get distracted by kids, so I turn on the TV to occupy them. Then I get distracted by the TV so I turn on music. The music makes the kids turn the TV louder, so I turn the music up louder. With all of that chaos going on, I then watch Downton Abbey on a Kindle right next to my face to keep my focus on one thing, which in turn, helps me focus on my work, in between Facebooking and Phatmassing.

[AnneLine]

:doh:

 

dUSt you are an EVIL Phorum Phello!

 

I have a few time periods that are dedicated to just working on work and/or just having clients.   And I have some times that are dedicated to a few other things necessary things like praying and to feeding AnneLine and Mr. AL and doing the laundry.  (Sadly, not always in that order).

 

If it helps, the baby steps I'm working on in my random thread (FlyLady stuff) are designed to help you get that set up, and it really does help.  She also has some good stuff on her website for work at home flypeople.     Feel free to PM if you wanna connect more about this...

[KnightofChrist]

Take a lot of notes, always have some form of a contract with clients even if it's nothing more than you're going to do x, w or z and how much you get paid. Charge extra if the client adds additional requests and make it clear you will do so up front. If you don't it could become very annoying because they'll continue to add on. Get half of your money up front and the other upon delivery of product. Don't do charitable work or free work unless you want to starve some. Many times that I have done free or cheap work many times word of mouth told many people I do work for free and people did take advantage. Still I do free work for Church projects because its worth it for the glory of God. Lastly have good people skills, and have a strong will and determination.

[arfink]

Yes, take the Joker's advice. If you're good at something, NEVER do it for free. Ever. If they can't give you money, ask for something else. It's not just to let people do that to you. Especially you shouldn't do free projects for nuns. Good heavens, just don't. Personal experience talking there.

 

Believe it or not, the prospect of being paid actually does help you stay on target. At least it does for me.

 

Other practical things, you need to know what situations help you to be productive. Do you need people around? Go to the coffee shop to work. Need solitude and dead silence? Stay at home.

 

I personally have to shut myself into my room and lock the door when I have work to do. There is a 4 year old running around the house, and people constantly coming and going, and I need to be sequestered in order to work.

 

Make sure you do normal things too, like eat your meals at normal time, sleep at normal times, and get dressed and put your shoes on in the morning. That way you won't be sitting there feeling crummy at work and realize you have pajamas on and just go back to bed. Because no matter what you do, you will have days where working from home is as crummy as working in an office.

[Gabriela]

Yes, take the Joker's advice. If you're good at something, NEVER do it for free. Ever. If they can't give you money, ask for something else. It's not just to let people do that to you. Especially you shouldn't do free projects for nuns. Good heavens, just don't. Personal experience talking there.

 

Believe it or not, the prospect of being paid actually does help you stay on target. At least it does for me.

 

Other practical things, you need to know what situations help you to be productive. Do you need people around? Go to the coffee shop to work. Need solitude and dead silence? Stay at home.

 

I personally have to shut myself into my room and lock the door when I have work to do. There is a 4 year old running around the house, and people constantly coming and going, and I need to be sequestered in order to work.

 

Make sure you do normal things too, like eat your meals at normal time, sleep at normal times, and get dressed and put your shoes on in the morning. That way you won't be sitting there feeling crummy at work and realize you have pajamas on and just go back to bed. Because no matter what you do, you will have days where working from home is as crummy as working in an office.

 

Well, arfink, since you bring it up, where's my illumination? ;-) I moved into my new office three weeks ago!

 

I worked freelance, from home, for 7 years. Now I still do a great deal of my work at home. The best possible thing you can do is have a separate space for an office at home. At 8 am, go in there, close the door, and lock yourself in. Have a coffee machine in there or whatever you need so you don't need to leave to go to the kitchen. And then: WORK. At noon, let yourself and eat lunch (cook it in advance, just like you would for an office job, so you don't dillydally in the kitchen). Then, go back into the office, close your door, lock yourself in, and WORK. At 5 pm, let yourself out, close the door behind you (that part is critical) and GO DO SOMETHING ELSE. If you don't, you'll spend all your time working, get burnt out, quit working cuz you're fried, and just generally totally screw up the whole schedule.

 

In short: Keep your worklife separate. When you're working from home, it is as important that you STOP working as it is that you START working.

Edited September 14, 2013 by curiousing

[ImageTrinity]

I have set work times. I get up at 5 am, exercise, make a pot of coffee and put in an hour of work before the kids wake up. Naptime (12-3ish) is also designated work time. It actually helps that I can only work when the kids are sleeping...I'm a lot more productive when I have a time limit.

Edited September 14, 2013 by ImageTrinity

[ContemporaryCaflicCrusader]

https://www.facebook.com/RisingGloryLops  This is my Sister's business.  She is a rabbit breeder and a mom who works one shift a week as a vet tech at a local animal hospital.  Buy yo bunnies here.  I bet you she keeps motivated by cuddling with rabbits or lomething weird like that.  They're a success.  

[Norseman82]

Keep your personal computer/laptop in a separate room from your work computer/laptop.

[Norseman82]

This is my Sister's business.  She is a rabbit breeder and a mom who works one shift a week as a vet tech at a local animal hospital.  Buy yo bunnies here.  I bet you she keeps motivated by cuddling with rabbits or lomething weird like that.  They're a success.  

 

I was told by a  late uncle that my garndfather raised rabbits, but they didn't survive very long (at least past Sunday dinners).

[Anastasia13]

Keep your personal computer/laptop in a separate room from your work computer/laptop.

 

And if you can't keep the comp separate, keep the work place separate? Play at one place, work at the other?