Turn Your Dream Telecommuting Job into a Nightmare in Five Easy Steps

Telecommuting sounds like a dream come true. Work from home, spend all day in your pajamas snarfing down Chee-tos, and never have to deal with the boss in person. And it can be all those things, but it can also be a bit of a nightmare if you do everything wrong. Imagine your work life bleeding uncomfortably into your personal life and having to force yourself to focus.

That’s what I found happening to me when I landed a telecommuting position out of college. Instead of having more free time, I found myself with none. Instead of being able to focus without a lot of inter-office distractions, I found myself having an even worse time staying on task. The lowest point was when I realized I spent all my free time thinking about work (and trying to avoid it), and all my work time trying to think of stuff to do in my free time. In short, it just wasn’t working, so I forced myself to make some major changes. So, learn from my mistakes and actually enjoy telecommuting. Here’s what not to do:

Work at random times each day.

Not only does this lead to a chaotic life, it also encourages procrastination. Plus, for insomniacs (like myself back then), procrastination and flexible hours lead to the deadly result of working at 4 A.M. Not very fun. For a better work-life balance, set a regular schedule and stick to it. You’ll be forced to stay on task to get done at the scheduled time each day. Soon, you’ll hate it when you get off schedule and get stuck working late. While it’s okay to take advantage of flexible hours every once in awhile (you can grab lunch with a busy friend or end your day early to get on the road for a long weekend), stick to a schedule on the majority of days.

Don’t create a work station.

Since you’re not in an office, you may as well make yourself comfortable and do your job on the couch. Heck, why not work from bed? Yes, you can do it, but should you? If you enjoy being unprofessional, non-ergonomic, and slightly schizophrenic, by all means do. If you’d prefer to feel on-the-ball, refreshed, and productive, create a place that’s devoted to work and work alone. Keep important files and papers close by, remove any obvious distractions (like TV and the latest Janet Evanovich novel), and invest in ergonomic furniture and computer accessories. Plus, when you’re done, you’ll be able to close the door and leave work at “the office.”

Avoid breaks at all costs.

It can be tempting to blow through the day without breaks and get done faster, but there’s a huge cost. You’ll be fatigued by the end of the day and your performance levels will drop–leading to mistakes and less-than-stellar performances. Plus, it’s the road straight to burnout. Breaks give your brain a rest and lower your stress level. Plus, breaks at home are a great way to get stuff taken care of without cutting into your free time. Call your best friend, jog to the mailbox, marinate the chicken for dinner, or just turn up the music and dance! Breaks can be the best part of your day, so be sure to take them. Set a timer, and be ready to get back to work–fully refreshed–once it’s done.

Pretend your co-workers don’t exist.

Your fellow employees–and especially other telecommuters in your company–are a great resource, so get to know them. Ignoring them doesn’t make them go away, and it doesn’t give you any allies. Not only are coworkers a great source of companionship, they’re the ones you’ll rely on when things get rough or you’re on a tight deadline and need a hand. If you pretend they aren’t important, don’t be surprised when they return the favor.

Embrace distractions.

Hey, no one’s going to complain if you listen to Barry White on work time, so why not blast it? Dr. Phil in the background isn’t reallly distracting you, so why turn it off? You wouldn’t want your blood sugar to drop, so you should probably stop and get a snack every 20 minutes, right? No! There’s a reason these things aren’t acceptable in an office, and they shouldn’t be acceptable in your home office, either. Keep the distractions to a minimum (think quiet classical music and a cup of tea) and keep your productivity levels up.

The Bottom Line: You’re Still on the Job

In short, telecommuting is still a job, so treat it as such. You can still take advantage of the benefits of working from home (like hanging out in your favorite flannels and having a hot cooked lunch each day) without turning your home into a three ring circus. You’ll find that your free time is more enjoyable–and so is your work time!

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