Parents Working From Home Myth 2 Theres Plenty of Time

The Truth: There are very few worker who are able to choose their own hours from home. It might be that they are telecommuting, and their supervisor requires they keep office business hours, or it could be their job or business requires calls and presentations over the telephone. Either way, it's important to know what hours you can work, and if you've committed to those hours, try not to deviate from them.

The Solution: Create a schedule and stick to it as much as possible. Creating a schedule sounds easy. If you're telecommuting, you'll need to justify the hours you spend, as well as what you were doing. This will also tell you, if you're working as a freelancer or on your own business, how much your time is worth. With a schedule, you'll have some guidelines...something to send to your boss, show to your childcare worker, and tape to the front door for when friends come to call.

You may need to arrange childcare for certain hours that you plan to be home and working: your boss may require it, or you might discover it's impossible to interview people with your toddler running and screaming through the house. Knowing what your timetable looks like will show you where you can spend quality time with your kids while work hours are spent diligently.

In addition, friends and family often believe working from home means available while at home. With a schedule and a chat, you may prevent hurt feelings.

Your schedule will also keep you honest. Most people working from home know the temptation to "just pick up the living room," or "finish breakfast dishes." When you're supposed to be working, be working. Don't let the house cleaning or laundry call to you. Don't throw a load in when you start working unless you're spending your 'break' time folding it.

But before you start feeling hemmed in by your schedule, think about how to create one (if you have the freedom to create your own...some may not.). You know what your needs are. Make a general schedule to prevent interruptions, but then look at the work you have to do. It may be that, without distractions from the office, you're able to do much more in a shorter time. If so, create your personal schedule based on tasks. When you finish certain tasks, take a break. But be sure you know what needs doing each day. If you finish early and want to take a long break or finish up early, be sure you've done at least as much as your boss expects you to. Sometimes telecommuters are expected to outperform their on-site co-workers.

By: Kim Paluch