Thanks in large part to technology, working from home — or telecommuting — is big and it’s getting bigger. More than 2.6% of U.S. employees (3.3 million people, not including the self-employed) roll out of their bed and into their office chair each workday, an increase of 80% since 2005. Factor in entrepreneurs and it’s believed 1 in 5 Americans now call home their workplace.
As an at-home worker, you could save between $2,000 and $7,000 in transportation and other costs annually, a nice bundle of cash to help create a healthy and productive home office you’ll enjoy working in.
Here are 3 ways to make telecommuting work for you:
- Location: You’re going to be doing real work, not your taxes, so don’t make your kitchen your office. Choose a spare bedroom, if possible, or an area of your home where you won’t hear your kids playing video games or your spouse on the phone.
- Home office, not office home: You don’t have to work in a drab office so don’t replicate that environment at home. Give yourself ample space, plenty of natural light, a desk light, an ergonomic chair and a large enough computer screen. If looking out the window won’t distract you (much), orient your desk so you face a window — heck, your boss had a corner office with a view, why shouldn’t you?
- Smart filing: While you don’t want to work in a tiny impersonal office cubicle, you may not have a huge space to devote to your home office. Be sure to organize filing and storage effectively in a way that complements your work style — drawers or filing cabinet, for instance, but not boxes or piles on the floor. Except for your most pressing to-do items, keep your stored papers behind you or in a closet while you’re working.
You’ll find more great home office design ideas here and here. Do you work at home? Tell us about what you love — or dislike — most about it and how you make your home office space work for you in the Shop Talk Blog community forum!
Did you know: 1 in 2 of us can telecommute?
It’s estimated that 50% of us have jobs compatible with at least part-time telecommuting. Those most conducive to home work? Management, professional and sales. Least likely? Not surprisingly, farming, fishing and the military. (Source)
This is a job I would be SO interested in, since I am disabled. I could take the breaks I need when I need them and still get my work done! I’m going to have to research this. I know-start from the bottom and work your way up. Problem is-WHERE is the ” bottom”?
Love this
You keeo asking the same questions over and over, you are going to send the free samples or not.But you continue to have ppl do the same thing over and over.I as very disappointed in your co.
I envy you. Working from home is something that I’ve always wanted to do. In 2009 I became disabled and no longer am able to work in a traditional manner. I’ve always wanted to work for myself or even for a company that would allow me to do just what your doing. Being able to work @ home would be the only way that I could return to working. I have no idea actually how to go about finding a way or business that would allow me to work from home. I returned to college in 2003 to obtain my associates degree in marketing & management, was a dbl major and finished school in 2005. Was a single mom and so proud of myself for such an accomplishment. However due to chronic pain, fibromagilia, degenerative disc disease, etc. I found myself having to go on Disability. Not something that I thought would happen to me @ 39 hrs young. Life can throw you a curve ball when you least expect it to I guess. Not really sure why I’m telling you all this except to may be gain some advice on how to begin working from home myself? If you could possibly offer me some I’d be awfully grateful. I’d like to sa,”Thanks for taking the time to read this.”. Sincerely, Connie Clay