If you work from home, consider yourself extremely lucky. Working from home definitely has its advantages. For one thing, you can save a TON of money on gasoline and car expenses, plus you have more time to actively plan your work schedule around your life. However, while all of this may seem just peachy, you have to be careful to plan, plan, plan and be disciplined. Otherwise, your work-from-home dream can quickly turn into a work-from-home nightmare. The following are five tips to help you get the most out of your work from home experience:

1. Cut out the distractions. When it’s time to work, it’s time to cut out any and all distractions that will prevent you from being able to focus. If you live with roommates or have a partner who also works from home but who keeps slightly different hours than you, then you may need to find some sort of a compromise (such as keeping the volume on the television low during certain hours). Being distracted means that it takes longer to get your work done, which means less time that you’ll be able to decompress doing something other than work that you enjoy.
2. Be as consistent as possible. For some people, working from home is a dream come true because they feel that they will be able to get up at any time of the day or night and simply do their work. However, it is best to maintain some sort of a consistent routine because consistency  helps you stay organized. Besides this, if something comes up at the last minute when you were planning on getting some work done, suddenly you are faced with a dilemma. Choose certain hours between which to get your work done and then try to stick to it.
3. Respect boundaries. If you and your spouse both work from home, depending on how you are, you may need to have separate working areas. It is often tempting to run errands or find other ways to interact with your spouse such as watching television or taking a day trip somewhere, or even sitting down and joking around with one another. However, for every minute that you spend with your S.O., that’s one more minute that you aren’t getting your work done.
4. Be accessible. Whether you work for yourself or for someone else, one major consideration is accessibility. Whether it is via email, skype, text message or a phone call, it is always a smart idea to stay as connected as possible with the outside world so that people can reach you in the event of a deadline, emergency or some other miscellaneous issue. This is also why it is a good idea to try to stick to a consistent schedule (see number 2).
5. Get plenty of rest. Sure, getting out of that office environment may have been great, but in reality, most people who work from home actually end up putting even more work hours into their week than they ever did when they were in an office. Keeping that in mind, even though you may really want to get all 40+ hours of your work done in two days, don’t push it. Instead, force yourself to pull the plug when it nears the end of a regular business day. In addition to providing yourself with some QT for loved ones and other enjoyed activities, it also allows you plenty of time to wind down and relax for bed, ensuring that you get plenty of rest for the next day.

While there are still plenty of jobs that require people to get in their cars and sit through hours of traffic; today, there are more people working from home than ever. And while many of these people consider themselves to be extremely lucky, there are some who find that things can get out of hand pretty quickly if they aren’t careful. That being said, the following are some tips for working from home…successfully:

3 Tips for Working From Home

1. Turn it Off- The last place that you should be doing work is in front of a television. Not only is this incredibly distracting, but it detracts from the amount of work you will actually accomplish. The same goes for cell phones and other possible noise makers. For example, when I am working from home, I usually turn my cell phone to ‘silent’ or off completely so that I’m not tempted to accept phone calls. This is especially true if I know that I have a major assignment that requires my utmost attention to detail.
2. Change it Up-Some people get sort of antsy when they have to work from home. Therefore, it pays to switch it up every now and then. Sometimes working from a coffee shop or some other location can work wonders for your work ethic!
3. Have a Plan- When you work from home, it is even more important to make sure that you stay organized. It only takes a matter of minutes to realize that you don’t remember where you put a file or that you had a deadline that has already passed.  Additionally, creating a work schedule for yourself will help you to stay more disciplined and will allow you to plan your day more effectively.

This week, in Business Etiquette in Brief, we’ll be taking a look at the art of business conversation in the workplace.

How to Start & Sustain a Conversation:

• Listen more than you speak-Ask open-ended questions that will require more than a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
• Be a good listener- Not sure whether or not the other person is done speaking?  A good rule of thumb is to count to two before opening up to speak.
• Paraphrase- A good way to let others know that you’ve heard what they said is by reiterating the point.

Different Kinds of Talk:

• Small Talk- While many people loathe small talk, it can be a great way to get a conversation going as well as break the ice if you’re meeting someone for the first time.
• Medium Talk- This type of talk deals with information specific to a group.  For example, two employees might be having a conversation about the companies they represent while others may not be able to participate in the conversation.
• Large Talk- Large talk deals with very specific information.

How to Gain Control of a Conversation:

• Be open and friendly.
• Take risks.
• Be the first to say ‘Hello.”
• Be genuinely interested in people.  They’ll be flattered and interested in you.
• Be open to new ideas.
• Accept people as they are.

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