Working from home creates a more lax environment where one could completely fail if not careful to balance play and work. With the freedom that working at home brings, it’s important to learn self-discipline so that you remain focused on monetary success while also enjoying life in this new found freedom. Just about everyone I know, with kids especially, just can’t seem to wrap their heads around the concept. Believe me, I get it. Sometimes I think I’m crazy. Other times, I think I’m a genius. As with much in our lives, it all depends on the hour, the day, the week.
Here are some tips on how you can learn to balance play and work at home:
- Get Rid of Distractions – there’s nothing worse than trying to get some work done with the house phone is ringing or the kids are screaming. Learn to get rid of those frustrating distractions during work at home hours so you can focus on your job versus home life.
- Set a Time for Business – this holds true for any work at home profession, while you may not have as much wiggle room in work hours as you desire, setting a time for business will determine whether you get that work done to go play or not.
- Share – Tell your spouse about your work and your day. Once in a while show your kids what you are working on, too. Get everyone involved.
- Stay Focused – if you want to learn a balance between play and work at home then you have to stay focused on the job at hand. One cannot have play time if they are using their work time frivolously. One most stay focused at all times during work hours.
- Mealtime – Have lunch out with your wife and spend snack time with the kids.
- Prioritize Work – when you have a to do list on your desk each day and learn to prioritize your work load, play time will come naturally. That balance of work at home and play simply arrives and man do you feel fantastic.
- Designate Play Time – last but certainly not least, you work at home to enjoy life so why not schedule play time into each day or each week. Allowing yourself to have a little play time during after work is a great way to help keep yourself sane and keep the others in the house that can’t quite understand the concept of “work” happy, too.
You must always stay focused, driven and allow yourself some time to slack off. It’s important that you have play time while working at home to keep yourself on the right path of monetary success. As human beings we thrive best when we have that balance of success and reward. Play time is exactly that, our reward for a job well done. I have to admit, this is all easier said then done. Almost every day it seems that I am being pulled in 10 directions, with everything jumping all over everything else on my to-do list. It can be tough but it’s also really rewarding. I get to see my kids and do so much that I was never able to working 60-70 hour weeks and traveling all the time in my old life as a consultant. Sure, there are days where it’s nuts and there are days when I need to get out, but other things really outweigh all of that. Hey, they grow quickly…the office is always there.
