Work from home Effectively.,Productively.,Efficiently.,Successfully.

Working from home can be your best friend or worst enemy

Does this sound familiar?

You’re sitting in your office getting back to emails in the few minutes you have before your next conference call starts. An insistent paw on your lap breaks your train of thought as your dog decides he needs to go outside for a walk - NOW! You barely get in the door in time for your 10:00 meeting and as you’re joining the call you're also searching for the meeting agenda that was shared last week. Before you know it, it’s five hours (and two more dog walks) later, and you realize the email you were working on earlier is saved in the drafts folder, waiting to be completed. You sigh as you click back to it, rereading to recall what it was you were intending to write. Another unproductive day races to an end.  

Establishing boundaries is essential when you work from home

Consequences of having poor systems for working remotely

When the boundaries become blurred between work and home obligations, consequences arise in both arenas. Being unable to set clear boundaries for working time and personal time can lead to the following consequences: 

• Sustained levels of stress and irritability as you juggle the demands of multiple people and priorities 
• Continually feeling inadequate when you struggle to get ahead with work or at home
• Feelings of failure as you let down colleagues, bosses, and family members  
• Perpetual fatigue -- both physically and emotionally -- as you exert yourself beyond capacity to try to be there for everyone all the time 

How do WorkSmart coaches help clients with problems working from home?

Coaches help to identify and customize tools for you, depending upon your preferences and specific challenges. From making a specific plan to use new strategies and tools to following up with you to increase accountability for the improvements you want to see, our coaches will reflect with you to identify wins, understand roadblocks, and revise plans to help you move towards success. For boundary-setting support, our coaches can support you in:

• Creating physical and mental boundaries to improve focus and maintain positive relationships with coworkers and housemates 
• Advocating for your needs to both improve communication with others at work and home and access resources to support effective functioning 
• Implementing meaningful incentives to help you stick to your plans