Work From Home Checklist

Working from home certainly doesn’t suit everyone. And while giving up the daily commute and working in your PJs might sound amazing, it’s necessary to give real thought as to whether it will really work for you.

Determine whether it’s a fit for you

☐	Are you self-motivated and disciplined? Can you get work done without having others give you motivation?

☐	Are you confident in your abilities to work without supervision?

☐	Will you be happy spending a lot of time alone?

☐	Do you need face-to-face interaction, or would communication via email, phone, chat or video conference suffice?

☐	Is your home big enough? Is there an area that can be used for your office space?

☐	Will others in the house respect your need to be uninterrupted?

Workspace and essentials

☐	Set aside a work area in your home that is separate from the rest of your life.

☐	Choose a workspace with plenty of natural light.

☐	Set up a dedicated phone line or mobile phone to use for work calls.

☐	Ensure that you have reliable, high-speed Internet access.

☐	Create a quality workspace complete with desk, ergonomic chair, lighting, printer, copier and storage space.

☐	Obtain a quality desktop or laptop computer.

☐	Install Microsoft Office 365, plus any other software necessary for your particular job.

☐	Stock up on office stationery. Set up an account with your local shop, if necessary, to ensure that you never run out.

Making it work

☐	Structure your day. Set yourself regular working hours and stick to them.

☐	Tell friends and family that you’re ‘at work’ during your working hours. Often, those close to you think that if you’re home, then it’s OK to call or pop in for a chat.

☐	Take regular breaks.

☐	Save your work to the cloud with OneDrive. That way, you can take your work with you if you need a change of scenery.

☐	Switch off at the end of the day. Do not be tempted to check your emails after the working day has finished.