How to Overcome the Challenges of a Work at Home Job
Stay-at-home workers often work too much or too little, says Florida State professor Stephen Humphrey. A Penn State study conducted by Ravi Gajendran and David Harrison found that stay-at-home workers struggle with co-workers doubting their effectiveness. However, the study concluded that stay-at-home workers tend to be happier than their in-office counterparts, provided they maintain a sense of self-direction and a balance between work and personal time. This means taking action to make your work truly satisfying rather than an excuse to stay in your pajamas.
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Minimize distractions. The closeness to family and friends that working from home affords is both a blessing and a curse. Establish a place where you can focus on your work and make an agreement with those around you to give you as much privacy as possible while you're in that place.
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Don't over-work. The "permeation" of personal life into business life that occurs for stay-at-home workers can make it difficult to disengage from work, according to Gajendran and Harrison. Begin work each day with a significant measurable goal and stop working once you achieve it. Meeting the objectives you set for yourself will make it easier to leave work without bringing work stress with you.
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Take advantage of the flexibility. Don't force yourself into a traditional 9 to 5 schedule if it doesn't make sense. Use your autonomy as a stay-at-home worker to set your schedule around family, social activities and the things that are important to you. Not only will this allow you to do the things you enjoy, but it will reduce interference from those situations during prescribed work hours.
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Communicate with your employer. Employees who work from home often find that their managers question their commitment, according to Gajendran and Harrison. You can prevent this distrust by making a firm agreement with your employer outlining concrete goals and the time it will take to complete them.
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Reach out to co-workers. In his study of almost 220,000 workers, Professor Stephen Humphrey found that receiving feedback from others made employees more productive and less stressed while Gajendran and Harrison state that co-workers perceived employees working at home as "less instrumental to shared goals." Working in a little face time will help you avoid such pitfalls. Schedule in-person meetings, lunches or informal get-togethers with fellow workers. Illustrate to them that you are still "on board."
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