Most people think that those who take the home-base route also work more effectively than those in the office because of the relaxed environment and the absence of a strict boss who constantly looks over their shoulders.



"It is all hoopla!" say the people who work at home. According to them, working at home is more challenging than being in the office. First, because of the absence of time pressure, you will have the tendency not to set a schedule. If you made one, you will be tempted not to follow it.

For instance, if you have set yourself to work on a particular task at 2 p.m. and your favorite talk show suddenly airs a re-run of its best episode for the year, you could forego the work schedule and, instead, watch television, thinking that the task can be done later. A lot of "laters" later, you find yourself cramming and getting all stressed out become your deadline is in an hour.

Second, because of the absence of a boss who watches you like a hawk, you will be tempted to do other things and find ways to stall. You might find yourself taking a nap instead of working on a task, or taking a bath longer than usual. Or you might get carried away surfing other Web sites that you've forgotten the assignment that you need to finish right away.

In short, there are a lot more temptations at home than there are in the office. And if you're a mother working from home, the challenge doubles, because your kids will be calling on you from time to time.

The key to succeeding in a home-based work setting is to manage your time well. Here are some tips to help you REALLY work at home.

- Maximize time: because you are aware that handling time and distractions is difficult when you're working at home, you must maximize the time you spend accomplishing tasks when you're really in the mood. Find out if you work better in the morning, in the afternoon, or in the evening, and then commit yourself to sitting at your desk and accomplishing all that you can during your peak times.

- Set up a professional-looking office: Just because you're at home doesn't mean you can't have an office that looks like the real thing. Choose a quiet corner in the house or a room where you believe will minimize distractions while you're working. Design the area the same way an office would look so that you don't feel that you're just at home. This way, you will have a notion that you're somewhere else.

- Discipline yourself: Who else would do this but you? Act like your own boss and berate yourself every time you are tempted to stray from the job at hand.

If you really value your job, you will eventually find the will to work. It could be difficult at first, considering that you can always change your mind and leave things as they are, but you should always keep in mind that the earnings you get from working at home are the ones that pays the bills and buys all the necessities in your life. This should be motivation enough to keep you alert and working.