4 Mistakes You Should Avoid When Telecommuting

Although it may sound like an ideal situation, the notion of working from home may not be feasible for everyone. Many workers choose not to work from home to avoid distractions, boredom, and possibly over-eating! Other workers may value team-work and the sharing of information and contact with others.

Muovo would like to share with you the following 4 pitfalls that you, as a telecommuter, should avoid:

1. Isolation
Either by circumstance or design, many telecommuters work in physical isolation. Even if they are surrounded by children, spouses and/or pets at home, the detachment from work colleagues can cause teleworkers to feel distant or out of the loop.

2. Personal distractions
Although the home can be regarded by many as a safe haven, it is also the place where all sorts of distractions about. When working from home, work and personal lives converge, which means that you can easily become distracted by that pile of laundry, by an online website browsing for clothes or parts for your car. What about taking your dog out for a walk?

If possible, remove personal distractions, such as piles of laundry or grocery lists, to keep your home office all business. Try to make a routine for yourself and your family, including your pet (by taking for example your dog out for a walk first thing in the morning).

3. Work-life imbalance
It should be easier to achieve work-life balance when working at home, right? Not necessarily. Telecommuters tend to work an average of six to seven hours longer each week than their office-bound counterparts. The comfort of working from home, coupled with around-the-clock connectivity, can cause telecommuters to work long past business hours.

Remember though that work shouldn’t overtake life, and life shouldn’t overtake work.

4. Lack of face time
Telecommuters risk the danger of becoming out of sight, out of mind. Whether intentional or not, a study by MIT Sloan Management Review shows that managers often promote workers who show presenteeism. Because teleworkers are passively present via emails, IMs and conference calls, they often get lower performance reviews, smaller raises and fewer promotions.

Achieving an equitable balance of family, career and personal time can be a real challenge for people working at home. But with the right strategies in place, you can find a balance between the telecommuting pros and cons to attain true work-life balance. Impossible is nothing!

Article taken from Brazen Life

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