Share tips on working from home with Direct Line for Business – win £300 voucher! NOW CLOSED

[RebeccaEMumsnet]

Whether you run your own business or work for an organisation, working from home can sound like a dream. Without being tied down to a traditional office or workspace, benefits of home working can include a non-existent commute, a better work-life balance and the ability to be closer to your family.

However, working from home comes with its own challenges, and Direct Line for Business want to hear your tips on how to make it work for you. How do you separate your work from family life when you’re based at home? Do you stick to a strict daily work schedule, or have a dedicated ‘office’ space?

We’re also interested to hear from Mumsnetters who run (or are thinking about running) their own businesses from home. What were/ are your main considerations when starting up a company from your spare room?

Whatever your tip on working from home, Direct Line for Business want to hear it.

Everyone who posts a tip on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

Standard Insight T & Cs Apply

Discipline. Get up at an early time - your brain will be alert and you will be in 'work mode'. Have a break every 2 hours to freshen up and finish at a planned time.

Be flexible but don't do more hours than the job is worth.

Also factor in an hour's exercise every day just to stay trim. I've put on loads of weight since becoming desk bound at home during the daytime.

I wear my ID card so that mentally, I'm 'at work.'

I set the alarm on my mobile so that it sounds for my 'start time' and finish too. (Also, try and set it to go off at some stage during the day so that I actually get out for a run, shower!).

I use a dedicated spot in my house. Any equipment associated with work I.e. Compute, work mobile get switched on/off at the beginning and end of the day, as appropriate.

Get out of the house at least once a day. Even a 15min walk at lunchtime makes you more productive in the afternoon

Get out for a walk at lunch time. Otherwise you go from bed>kitchen table and work straight through til DH comes home, without fresh air!

I get a lot more done without the distractions of an open plan office, but do need to go in every couple of days to not get cabin fever!

Agree with those commenting on the need to get out for fresh air and exercise. I have dogs so try to ensure it's me who takes them for their afternoon walk.
Occasionally I go into the office, which is in London and have been interested to note that my iPhone records around 10,000 steps on those days. So if I didn't replace that incidental exercise with dog walking I'd be the size of a house!
I try and make myself feel like I'm going to work. I'm fortunate to have a home office but If I sit down in my dressing gown I'm just not in the right frame of mind. I need to be showered, dressed and feeling alert before I start work.

I work full time from home.
I have a separate room which doubles up as the guest bedroom with a sofa bed. I can shut everything away at night and on a weekend.
I have set hours, start and finish at roughly the same time every day. Occasionally I work weekends depending on work load but I try not to.
I do the school run twice a day and always try to stop for a chat with someone just to get some company for five minutes. I get lonely otherwise.
I always have a lunch break. I never eat at my desk.
Although family and friends know I'm at home they also know I am working. Only once has someone ever turned up unannounced thinking it was fine because I would be in. They won't be doing it again!! I am quite clear that it is no different to being out at work.
I can get distracted easily so sometimes I leave my phone in another room.
I do my books on an evening in the lounge in front of the tv (being self employed has its advantages!)
I have never worked in my pyjamas. I always get dressed and do my hair.
I have a very good sound system to keep me company. I can't work in silence.

Office of designated room, work the times you would work in an office and have tea breaks as normal
Work phone and laptop off in the evening
I work from home one day a week at least and I get much more done

Use toggl to monitor what you spend your working time on (and breaks, too!) and trello to organise your to do lists!

You need to have mini targets and reach them before you allow yourself to indulge in another cup of coffee (aka displacement activity).

Try and work away from distractions e.g TV or social media. Prepare yourself a drink and snack before you sit down so you don't need to get up. Write a to do list the night before of what you want to achieve in the day. Oh and get a babysitter! ;)

I act as if I am going to work - get ready and dressed early, make myself some lunch so it's ready in the fridge, make drinks at the same sort of times that I have them at work. I find it keeps me in the right frame of mind as the only place I can work is in the lounge so it would be easy to get distracted by home stuff.

I also make sure I have little chats with colleagues by email as I would if I was in the office to make sure I don't get lonely!

I am more productive working from home. My biggest distraction is the kitchen. I eat far too much when working at home - I tend to graze all day long and not eat proper meals. If I could take my own advice, it would be to not snack and make time to prepare a proper lunch/dinner.

Have a consigned space to work at and work. Don't look at social media, don't let anything dosrupt you. Make sure where you are is quiet and set an alarm for lunch and one for "clocking off". That way, you give everything as much concentration as is needed in a timely way.

put a reminder on your calendar in plenty of time to do your self employment tax assessment form if you have to do one, saves the last minute panic.... I kick everyone out for the day to do my accounts!