Pulling It Together

Telecommuting

With gas prices expected to reach $6 per gallon by the end of summer, unnecessary driving just doesn't make sense. I can think of a lot of things I would rather spend my money on than commuting to work. However working from home full- or part-time can carry its own problems. Here are three obstacles, as well as the ways that we, or other people we know, have solved them.

I Don't Have Room for a Home Office

You don't need an entire room. A well-organized work space will do just fine. Convert your sofa table into a desk. Use storage boxes to contain office supplies, and make a point of clearing off your "desk" at the end of the day. No one will even know you have an office in your living room.

• File Boxes from See Jane Work's Office Basics Collection can make your book shelf into a file cabinet.
• An Oilcloth Pencil Case from Anna Griffin keeps writing implements, erasers, and paperclips neat and portable.
• Save space by making your mouse pad keep track of more than just your mouse with a 5 Days a Week Mouse Pad note pad from Knock Knock. Pass on mega-packs of basic office supplies. With a small tub of Office Basics Binder Clips in 3 different sizes you'll have just the size you need at your fingertips.

My Boss Will Never Agree To It

There are some jobs that you must be present to do. A retail salesperson or warehouse manager must be on site to do his or her job. But for many of us, at least some of the work could be done via remote connection, e-mail, or even a Blackberry. Take a look at your job responsibilities. Are there tasks that can be done online or over the phone? Does your workplace have the technology to support remote access? If so, then take it upon yourself to write a convincing letter to your supervisor outlining all the ways it benefits the company to have you work from home, even just one day a week. Suggest a trial period of a month or two to make sure the arrangement is advantageous to all concerned. Once your boss is on board, make sure your goals are specific and measurable. Agree upon office hours, tasks to be completed, communication between the main office and your home office, etc. If you can prove the quality of your work is as good or better as it was when you came to the office everyday, your boss will be more inclined to grant you additional days to work from home.

• The Do & Delegate Work Notebook from Buttoned Up has pages for your To Do list, pages for your Goals & Projects, and special carbonless-copy notes for recording tasks that have been delegated to others.
• The Office Basics Project Organizer helps you divide your projects into tasks. The Velcro closure will keep your work together when you're going back and forth from the main office to your home office.
• Set up a tickler file system to remind yourself of what needs to be done and by when. The Oilcloth Accordion File has cut out handles that make it easy to carry when you're working from more than one location.

My Family Will Interrupt My Work

Don't mistake working from home for being a stay-at-home parent. You will still need child care during working hours. Consider sharing a nanny or babysitter with a co-worker or neighbor. On my street three mothers work from home. Rotating child care days at different houses can give you the time you need to get your work done. Set office hours and make sure that your children know when you're working. If your children can tell time, let them know exactly when they will have your full attention so they are less likely to keep asking you when you'll be done. Turn the house phone off during your office hours. Spend a few moments in the morning tidying up so you aren't tempted to do laundry or housework throughout the day. Remember you are technically at work.

• Baby Pack Pads and Kid Pack Pads from Buttoned Up feature checklists to help you, and them, remember what they need to take to day care, school, or camp. Be prepared when the babysitter calls in sick by keeping an
  Office Basics Art Box filled with coloring books, crayons, and quiet toys on your shelf or tucked under your desk. Make sure they stay "special" by only allowing them to come out when Mommy's working.
• Patterned Cork Boards from NotNeutral make great message centers. Hang one in the kitchen for schedules, invitations, flyers, and notes. Keep a separate one in your work area that is for work-related paperwork only.
• A Pocket Strip Wall Organizer can hold files, catalogs, and paperwork near, but not on top of, your workspace. Use the included magnets to post phone messages, lists, and business cards.

Working from home sometimes requires more self-discipline than going to work at an office. Your two-hour lunch break might go by unnoticed, but when the report that was due by the end of the day isn't quite finished, you'll be the one scrambling to get it done before the kids are clamoring for dinner. By taking your job responsibilities, workspace, and schedule as seriously at home as you would from an office building you can make working from home work for you.

If one of our ideas or products works for you, or if you have a solution you’d like to share, please let us know at ideas@seejanework.com.