In January I had the opportunity to share my knowledge and expertise on working from home on a panel at Affiliate Summit West 2014. Karen Garcia of GTO Management, Deborah Carney of Team Loxly, and Scott Jangro of Shareist, were my fellow panelists. Together we have, well many years of experience.
Image Courtesy Affiliate Summit
Slides from our panel
Image Courtesy Affiliate Summit
Here are some of the things that we shared:
- Working from home can be difficult if you are not accountable to someone else. Make sure that you have goals that can keep your motivated. Many of us have dream or goal boards. Use a cork board, pin a picture to your computer monitor, or create a Pinterest dream board.
- Sometimes you have to get out of the house. Find a good place to work out of the home and go there from time to time. It can be difficult to work in isolation for long periods of time. Coffee shops, libraries, and co-working spaces are all places to try.
- A to do list system that works for you is key. Pen and paper, an app, or something else. Try them out and see what works. This To-Do Productivity Lifehack that Karen uses is a great one. A to done list is also very helpful to keep a record of what you actually accomplished (or didn’t) in a day.
- Get some help. It is a big myth that someone can work from home and do it all, especially if you are a parent. Get a housekeeper, hire a mother’s helper or a babysitter, find a great daycare situation, swap childcare with another parent nearby.
- Work together with your partner. Just because you are one at home, doesn’t necessarily mean you should be the one to to the burden of housework, childcare, household management. The Cozi app is a great calendar, shopping list, to do list and more that you can share with multiple members of your family.
- Become part of Mastermind Group. Either form your own or find one to join. Having the support and accountability to others is super important. Eric Nagel, Tricia Meyer, and Todd Farmer explained how their successful group works in this Affiliate Summit video from 2012.
- Balance is super important. There is such thing as working too much. Make sure that you set office hours and keep to them. Take time to do things important to you. Find a hobby, exercise, spend time with friends.
- Learn how to say no. People may assume that you because you work from home you are free to get coffee, go shopping, run errands for them. While it is great to do these things from time to time, it can keep you from your work.
- Collaboration tools can be very helpful when you are working with others. Basecamp, Trello, and Shareist are all great options.
We shared a lot of information and I am sure that I have missed some. Here is your chance, what are your questions about working from home? Ask me in the comments below, I would love to help you out!
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