I’m in my 25th year of working from home as a freelancer, and over the years I’ve learned how to work productively, and how to avoid wasting (too much) time. A lot of people are suddenly discovering what it’s like to have to work from home temporarily.
Glenn Fleishman, a fellow author of Take Control books, has just released a free book with tips and advice on how to set up a home office, and how to get work done. Like me, Glenn has been working at home for years.
As the book blurb for the free Take Control of Working from Home Temporarily says:
We’re in a time of unprecedented uncertainty. In the middle of a global viral outbreak, you were told or asked to work from home—and you’ve never or rarely had to be productive where you live before. What to do? We’re here to take at some stress out of your life with a new, free book that details how to set up a home office and balance work and home life for those not accustomed to it.
Did I say that the book is free?
In this book, you’ll learn more about how to:
- Stake out a physical space, even if it involves setting up a curtain or moving a bookshelf
- Pick or adjust a chair if you plan to sit
- Figure out the right mic and headphones or speakers for your needs
- Add a monitor for efficiency, or use software to turn an iPad or other devices into a second display
- Stand while you work without necessarily investing in a new desk
- Set working hours to avoid never being off the clock
- Put up a sign or otherwise signify when you’re working to those around you
- Invest a tiny amount or a lot into noise-canceling headphones or earbuds
- Use videoconferencing to replace meetings and casual conversation you miss from an office
- Adjust your expectations and that of your employer to how much work you can produce, initially and in the long haul
- Take regular breaks to avoid burnout, but if you get in the zone, you can stay there, too
- Juggle the simultaneous burdens of full-time home parenting with home working
- Remember to eat lunch
If you’re new to working at home, get Take Control of Working from Home Temporarily. It’s free. As in beer.