While many of us only dream of having the ability to sustain our lively hood by working out of our homes, there are those of us who have actually pulled it off here in Ottawa. The matter is finding our motivation and staying focused on the daily tasks for maintaining our career. At first preponderance of doing this, we see the perks that are available, such as dressing how we feel, and the lack of a commute. This means we can cut down on having to put fuel in our vehicles and not worry if your tie is straight, for men, or if, for women, your makeup is correct.
Nonetheless, there are certain skills that we must possess if we are to achieve any level of success once we take this journey of trying to work out of our home. One such skill is time management, while another is self-motivation, along with an ability to set and achieve our goals and those of the company or clients that we work with. The following is a guide that should shed some light and provide techniques for gaining a winning edge on a successful path for working out of the house in Ottawa.
Determine an Acceptable Schedule
The main thing to keep in mind when working out of the house in Ottawa is working the same hours as your clients or company. This way it provides a means of regular communication if and when it is needed. Keeping a normal work schedule helps you to balance priorities that are apparent with both home and work.
Design your Time Management and Routine Accordingly
While it may come easy, to slack off because you are working out of your house, it still remains that we all need some level of structure. If you think about it, the only thing that has changed is the environment of where you work in Ottawa, your home. The rest of your life has not changed, this means you can keep doing what you normally do, get up to shower, shave, eat breakfast, have a cup of tea or coffee, and then start to work. In order to have a successful work life balance, even when commuting, takes having a well-designed routine to follow.
Determine a Space Specifically for Work
Not all of us have the luxury of having an office in our homes. This means finding a place that is comfortable and private enough, with minimal distractions, so we can perform our tasks, and stay focused during the workday. Some suggested locations might be a section of a basement, or a corner of the garage. If you live in an apartment, in Ottawa, find a space that is suitable for a small office i.e. a desk and chair, printer/fax machine and such.
Communicate Daily
Making sure to regularly contact co-workers, bosses, and supervisors, when working out of the normal confines of an office, is important. Naturally, this is if our corroboration with others is part of your daily tasks. While most of this may be through emails, voice or video communication channels are just as important. Specifically speaking, since there is VoIP, (voice over internet providers), and video conferencing that we can use for this purpose.
Stay Focused on Work
This is important because it will make the day pass without delaying deadlines and creating more undue stress. If you have a regular schedule for household chores, such as on a Saturday in Ottawa, stick to that schedule. Any deviations will do nothing more than create confusion, turmoil, and stress. Keep the house tasks separate from those assigned to work. This will keep stress levels to a minimum.
Minimize Errands
Part of staying focused on work, is not letting unnecessary errands, get in the way of progress. However, in some instances, certain errands may be unavoidable, such as picking a child up from an after school program in Ottawa, or they may have missed the bus. Sometimes there are things that are completely unavoidable. Other times the little things can wait until the workday is finished.
Always Make Time for Breaks
Taking time to walk away from the desk to relax, clear your head, or even just to snack is all part of managing your time. We need time to recharge and relax. This means taking a lunch, go for a short walk, eat some leftovers, order delivery, anything to take your mind off of work for a bit. This helps make the time run smoothly and helps you remain focused for the rest of the day.
Plan to Take a Break for the House Daily
Ok, it is nice to be at home and not have to leave to go to work, but there is such a thing as being in a place for too long. This is why it is wise to make plans to leave the house once a day. As mentioned above, you can go for a walk in a park in Ottawa, go out to lunch, or run a small errand that you know will not take a lot of time out of the day, (part of minimizing the errand list). Getting away from the house and work for a bit helps keep your stress level down and clear your head.
Volunteering is great to a Point
Another aspect of staying at home and working out of the house is just being there. This means that some people may ask for help. While being helpful is not a bad thing, do not let it get in the way of doing your job. However, workloads change which does free up some time out of a busy day. This can make room for helping neighbors and friends out in Ottawa, from time-to-time. In turn, though, make sure that they are not taking advantage as this can interfere with your work schedule.
Remain Professional
As an individual that works out of the house it is wise to keep a professional mindset, which means dressing the part can help. Specifically, when conducting a video conference or even having a phone conversation this helps. The need for professional communication does not change in Ottawa just because you are wearing your grizzly bear slippers.
Looking to expand your living space for a new home office? Check out these Ottawa homes:
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[column size=”1/3″]Condos Chateau Cartier
Gatineau Condos[/column]
[column size=”1/3″]1170, chemin d’Aylmer
Gatineau, QC
Phone: 819 966-5798 [/column]
[column size=”1/3″]View Map[/column]
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[column size=”1/3″]Richcraft Homes
Ottawa Homes[/column]
[column size=”1/3″]2280 St. Laurent Blvd, Suite 201
Ottawa, ON K1G 4K1
Phone 613 739-7111
Fax 613 739-7102
info@richcraft.com
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