Distractions; avoid them; it’s the key to your success.  You need to be focused because when you are employed, you will work according to your contract but in many ways you need to get your working hours and breaks clear before you begin.  No matter how easy it is to watch TV, give the kids lifts, walk the dog…resist – you couldn’t do this if you were in an outside office and it is now down to you to arrive and leave at certain times and within that time you complete your work.

Disorganisation – Do not let your work life slip into your family / social life and vice versa.  Keep work papers separately, in fact keep a separate home office altogether. Have your papers filed in a filing cabinet and important stationery and day to day items in your office desk.  In fact if there is a lock on your office desk use it, children tend to like to play with what they shouldn’t.

Discomfort – Avoid working in small spaces with little light, do not try and double the kitchen table and kitchen chair as your new office desk and chair – it won’t work.  Too many people will be passing through the kitchen and using the furniture for its immediate purpose.  Try and work in a space where there is a low level of noise and get yourself a proper desk and office chair.  A kitchen chair is ergonomically not appropriate (it was not designed for long hours of seating), unlike a proper office chair.

Keep your business line separate, especially if you are publishing your telephone number on your website. There are times when you could experience people calling from the other side of the world when you are in bed if you do not keep your business line and answering service separate to your own personal space this can really encroach upon your time.  Additionally, you do not want the family answering your business calls – it’s really unprofessional.

You mustn’t become too isolated – do take a break from your office chair and take a walk, maybe walk to the local shop for lunch, it is important to try and stay part of the community when you are working alone. 

You don’t need to leave your office desk to join a new community though either, there are many online communities that have people who work from home or keep in touch with friends occasionally through online instant messaging services.  It is important to keep some communication going with the outside world and doing this occasionally without getting too distracted and leaving your office chair is ideal.