Six years ago I started working as an environmental consultant. Like many college graduates I was thrilled with my first job, beyond excited that I got my own office, and enamored of the career I was starting. For the next three years I traveled around Texas doing my job, working on a masters degree and planning my wedding to my college sweetheart. All in all, everything was moving along very nicely!
Fast forward a year or so and a tiny six-pound addition to our family changed everything. Everyone is motivated by something different. For some money is the best motivator, for me it always has and always will be family. When our son was born I knew I would need to find a way to balance my career goals with my need to be an active mother. Shortly after I came to that realization, my husband got a job offer in Austin, and since that was the destination for most of my travel I saw this as a win-win situation.
Like many new telecommuters I had rose colored glasses on when we made our move and I began to officially work from home. I thought I could easily get my job done while playing with my son and tried for the last month of my maternity leave to get into a good schedule of this. Although there may be professions where a parent can work with their child at home, mine was not one of these. I quickly hired a part time college student to spend 6 hours a day helping out with my son. Understanding my limitations was one of the two most important things I did when I began to work from home. Reading The Work at Home Balancing Act was the other. Check it out if you are considering working from home and let it guide you through getting started.
I quickly fell into a routine, and that my friends is the name of the game when you are telecommuting. Whether you work seven to three, or nine to five, your first step as a telecommuter is to sit down and work out a basic schedule for your day. It’s very easy to wake up, meander downstairs in your pajamas and find yourself still working from the couch eight hours later. With a basic routine in place you will find you treat working at home just like working from the office. Get up, shower, get dressed and then come to work. The only difference is the time you spend commuting to your office.
More to come on setting up an efficient home office!
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