Working from home isn’t for everyone. Some need the accountability of others to show up ready and on time at 8:00 a.m. In a home office setting, you need to be disciplined and accountable to yourself.
Take a little quiz to see if the home office is a good match for you.
Are you well organized?
Do you work well alone?
Are you self‐motivated and directed to start each task?
You are skilled and disciplined at working through your to‐do lists in spite of other distractions?
Is seeing people face to face a few times a week enough social interaction for you, instead of seeing people every day?
Can you create an environment in your dwelling that’s uplifting and free of distraction?
You love your work, but do you know when to pull the plug and be with family?
Are you confident you can control home distractions (walking the dog, taking personal phone calls and texts, preparing dinner, answering the “I’m hungry” refrigerator call, doing small home repairs)?
Does your family understand the meaning of the Do Not Disturb sign on your door?
Is working in a home office something you are determined to accomplish in spite of the problems that might arise?
If you answered “yes” to seven or more of these questions, then having a home office is a good option for you. If you answered “yes” to five to six, a home office could work out well for you; however, you have more work to do. If you answered “yes” to four or fewer questions, the risk of failure in a home office environment is very high.
