Work from home? What rules do you set for yourself?

[Trey22]

I know it's different if your self-employed, or just work remotely like I do. What rules do you set for yourself during your work time?

I moved to Michigan in November, and the house I bought wasn't ready to move into, so we've been living w/ the in-laws meanwhile.

I setup my office and work from the house I bought, and while I have to "commute" 15 minutes from the in-laws, it's not bad. I have the kitchen the next room over, and the bathroom right down the hall.

We move in next week, and everyone keeps saying how it will be party-time all the time since I work from home. While the fridge is usually stocked w/ beer, I usually never drink during work hours, unless it's dead slow and it's Friday afternoon.

 

[rcpratt]

I'm pretty sure I would get nothing done.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Working from home now.

Its amazing how much you get done when you work from home and are free from the BS meetings, the BS interruptions, the BS questions your coworkers ask you all day.

I get more done in a shorter period of time.

I try and work from home 1-day a week but it averages to like once ever 3-weeks.

 

[ichy]

I wish I could work from home once a week. I wouldn't have the self-discipline to do it every day, but if it was one day a week I'd feel obligated to be productive.

 

[Aharami]

i work from home a couple times a week. I go into the office atleast twice a week, if not three times, even though all my teammates are spread out across the country and I never see them. My boss is in CA (im in NJ). I find myself going stir crazy if I work from home too much.

I try to keep the same type of environment at my home office as my actual office:
No TV on during work hours
I try to shower before logging on, like I would if I were to go in the office. I think this helps me get in the work mood more than just getting up, throwing on some sweats and logging on.
I allocate myself 30 mins for lunch

I enjoy working from home, a lot! But I think it is spoiling me because no other job will allow me to WFH this much. It will be a hard transition when I start looking for another job.

 

[highland145]

I'm pretty sure I would get nothing done.

This. Hard enough being self employed in an office.

 

[techs]

I have some simple ground rules:

1) No coke before noon. Unless its really bitchin' coke.

2) No touching myself when I talk to clients over the phone.

3) No porn before noon. Unless....see number 1.

4) Neffing on ATOT is only permitted during the hours of 9-5. Unless I'm realy bored.

5) I must spend a minimum of an hour a day figuring out new ways to deduct personal expenses as business expenses.

6) Under no circumstances will I take a lunch longer than about 4 hours.

7) I can be twice as efficient if I am doing something in conjunction with work. My favorites are watching tv, doing laundry and ignoring rule numbers 1-4.

 

[DesiPower]

only one - do not watch p0rn.

 

[Beev]

My current job allows me to work from home one day a week, and I actually get more done at home than I do here in the office. I'm also able to multitask a video game into the mix which makes it enjoyable rather than a pain.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

I have some simple ground rules:

1) No coke before noon. Unless its really bitchin' coke.

2) No touching myself when I talk to clients over the phone.

3) No porn before noon. Unless....see number 1.

4) Neffing on ATOT is only permitted during the hours of 9-5. Unless I'm realy bored.

5) I must spend a minimum of an hour a day figuring out new ways to deduct personal expenses as business expenses.

6) Under no circumstances will I take a lunch longer than about 4 hours.

7) I can be twice as efficient if I am doing something in conjunction with work. My favorites are watching tv, doing laundry and numbers 1-4.

Seems like a standard set of guidelines.

 

[blackdogdeek]

the rules are actually for my wife:

1. i am not home; i am working and at home
2. don't tell the kids i'm in the house

 

[FDF12389]

I have some simple ground rules:

1) No coke before noon. Unless its really bitchin' coke.

2) No touching myself when I talk to clients over the phone.

3) No porn before noon. Unless....see number 1.

4) Neffing on ATOT is only permitted during the hours of 9-5. Unless I'm realy bored.

5) I must spend a minimum of an hour a day figuring out new ways to deduct personal expenses as business expenses.

6) Under no circumstances will I take a lunch longer than about 4 hours.

7) I can be twice as efficient if I am doing something in conjunction with work. My favorites are watching tv, doing laundry and ignoring rule numbers 1-4.

Damn copycat. Those are my rules.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

I'm a field service engineer, so while I work FROM my house, I don't do a lot of work AT my house. If there are no service calls and my pm's are all caught up, I do whatever I want.

Days like that don't happen all the time though.

 

[alkemyst]

keep it to 3 beers or less an hour prior to 11am.

 

[nanette1985]

I only have one rule.

If the money's coming in, anything is okay, but if it isn't, work harder.

 

[Imp]

No rules. My casual job I do at home, and I am so productive it's sad. But that's because I have a full-time job, and these home jobs always come in with less than a week before the deadline. If I don't do it, deadline passes, no money, no job. Good incentive...

I work on the carpet with TV turned on and bill by the hour.

 

[HAL9000]

Don't touch it, don't look at it, don't take it out your trousers, until work is done. Then reward yourself.

 

[MedicBob]

1 drink minimum before I log in. Then a second drink before I attempt to work on anything.