Working from home may seem like the ideal solution for those seeking some flexibility around how, when and where they work. Some of us find that working from home results in greater productivity from the time we save by spending less time commuting to and from work, and less interruptions that we have in the office. Working from home also allows individuals more flexibility around when they work, so employers can sometimes reap the benefits of additional work being squeezed into a spare half hour here and there.

However, working from home is not ideal for everyone and the fact that your work and personal living spaces are right on top of one another can pose some unique challenges. Logging on all those hours from home can be isolating and a huge adjustment for those that crave interaction with co-workers.

One of the biggest challenges of working from home is not over-working. For some, the temptation to constantly check emails and get a head start on tomorrows work can be too great.

Here are some tips to ensure that your working from home arrangement is actually working for both you:

• Clearly define your workspace: It is important that you keep you work and personal space as separate as possible. I’ve known of people that have set up their home office in a corner of their bedroom only to be disturbed by beeps in the night from the fax machine, and lights flashing on computer equipment. It is important that you separate you your work area from your rest area so that you do not feel like you are constantly working causing unnecessary stress while you are trying to relax.

• Get some fresh air: If you are starting to feel claustrophobic and a little burned out, check how much fresh air you have circulating your work area. Open a window to enjoy the breeze or take a walk for twenty minutes as an amazing way to recharge yourself for the rest of the day. Why not kill two birds with one stone and fit your 20 minutes of daily exercise into your break time?
  
• Keep to your normal sleep schedule as much as possible: The temptation will be there to check your emails and get on top of your work, however if you work long hours into the night, you will be in danger of mucking up your internal sleep rhythms. It can be quite difficult to go to sleep after looking at a computer screen for some time, so make sure that you allow adequate wind down time at the end of your “working” day so that you can ensure a good nights’ sleep and feel recharged for the next day. Set a regular work schedule and stick to it as much as possible.

• Have lunch with a friend: It can be great to get out of the house, but also a good idea to socialise with real people from time to time. It can be a really nice break during the day and will help you from feeling too overworked. It is important that you acknowledge how much you enjoy human-to-human interaction and if it is important to you, you should replicate that as much as possible while working from home.

• Start a working from home user group: If your organisation has a group of people regularly working from home, it might be appropriate to set up a local user group. This way you will be able to do some valuable networking, share successes, learn from colleagues and enjoy interacting with each other either online or by meeting face-to-face occasionally.

• Subscribe to a trade magazine: By subscribing to a trade magazine you’ll learn about what’s new in your industry and feel more involved with it and you will be forced off the computer once in a while to read it!

• Keep work and personal contact information separate: It is a good idea to have a separate phone number and email address for work and personal matters. That way, when you have finished your work for that day, you can more easily turn off without the risk of a work related call coming through during your down time.

• Don’t forget to take regular breaks: When you office is in your home, it can be really easy to lose track of time and work straight through the day. Working from home is designed to help you work anytime, not all the time. People rarely work in the office the whole day without a stroll to get lunch, a coffee, a chat in the break out room, all of which is important for your health and sanity. While working from home, it is equally important to take a break once in a while in much the same way as you would if you were in the office.

From adopting some or all of the above strategies, you are already going to be more effective during your working from home practice, however, there are some additional working from home strategies that relate to how you communicate with your workplace that are equally important and worthy of your consideration.

• Stay connected with the workplace: It is important that you maintain your communication and networking with your manager and colleagues. Be clear on how to get in contact with you, for example, via phone and email, but also make time and effort to attend meetings face to face, and social events. If you find that social events are organised at times that conflict with your availability, suggest times that you will be able to make or ask for more notice so you can make the necessary arrangements to attend.

• Find alternate ways in which to get involved: When you are physically in the office it is easier to be exposed to mentoring and project team opportunities and the like. While out of the office, it might be a good idea to encourage your manager or an office “buddy” to keep an ear to the ground and notify you about things you might be missing out on.

• Develop a “staying in touch” plan: A staying in touch plan is a document that outlines the things you want to know about, the methods of communication and, how often you want to know about these things. Creating a “staying in touch” plan that you can provide to your manager is a great way for both you and your manager to manage your ongoing engagement in the organisation.

At first glance, working from home might be the answer to your work/life balance challenges, however staying sane while working from home is more difficult than it first seems. If you work from home there is a good chance that you will have almost no contact with the outside world unless you consciously work at it. The next time you are working from home and starting to lose your sanity, take stock of the above lists and get working from home arrangement back working for you.