Learn the five truths about working from a home office, suggestions for improving your work at home experience, and the real stories of four successful home-based workers. This presentation was for Laid Off Camp Phoenix in August 2009.

1. THE REAL WORLD OF
WORKING FROM HOME
LaidOffCamp Phoenix

2. About Me
Self employed in
Phoenix since 1995.
15 years of working
from my home office.
Business includes
professional services
and products.
Many configurations
over the years.

3. Session Tweeting
Offer tweet bites
throughout the
presentation.
Chance for you to
tweet session
highlights.
Use hash tag #locphx.
Take a breath.

4. Today’s Goals
Five truths about working
from a home office.
Suggestions for
overcoming challenges.
Resources.
Empower you to make the
best of your home office
situation.

5. Where We Are
Introduction
Truth #1: Your Workspace Matters
Truth #2: It’s Lonely in Paradise
Truth #3: It’s All On You
Truth #4: You Run The Show
Truth #5: You Live At Work
Conclusion

6. Truth #1: Your Workspace Matters

7. Myths About a Home Office

8. Home Office Components
Recreate the office
workspace.
Space.
Lighting.
Equipment.
Resources.
Organizing tools.

9. Dedicated Workspace
Doesn’t need to be a
full-time office.
Storage can be mobile.
Locate your office away
from time wasting
distractions.

10. Build A Success Team
Your household must
understand the ground
rules for working hours.
Offload or reschedule
housework and interacting
with your kids.
Use childcare if needed.
Set boundaries to protect
your work time.

11. Tweet Bite #1
Create a success team
from family and friends who
support your work at home
effort. @Kinchie at #locphx

12. Choose A Great Chair
Adjustable.
Comfortable for
extended sitting.
Supports the natural
back curves (lumbar
support).
Worth the extra cost.

13. Ergonomic Keyboards
Encourages proper
arm and hand
position.
Great for touch typists
but challenging for
finger pecking.

14. Laptop Computers
Designed for portability,
not ergonomics.
For regular use, add an
external keyboard and
mouse/trackball.
Raise the laptop so the
screen is at eye height
when sitting.

15. Tweet Bite #2
Laptop users should use a
separate keyboard and
mouse to avoid repetitive
strain injuries. @Kinchie at
#locphx

16. Where We Are
Introduction
Truth #1: Your Workspace Matters
Truth #2: It’s Lonely in Paradise
Truth #3: It’s All On You
Truth #4: You Run The Show
Truth #5: You Live At Work
Conclusion

17. Truth #2: It’s Lonely in Paradise

18. Irritating People in the Office

19. Plan Your Social Interaction

20. Finding Your Own Balance
Isolation:
Quiet for thinking
No interruptions
Interaction:
Collaboration
Social needs met
Learn how to assess
your current balance.

21. Tweet Bite #3
Your social interaction
needs change over time so
stay open to new solutions.
@Kinchie at #locphx

22. Networking
Maintain professional
relationships.
Attend professional
organization meetings.
Find business mixers.
Research co-working
spaces.
Work and meet up in
coffee shops.

23. Social Media To The Rescue
Use LinkedIn for
contacts and references.
Join Twitter.
Limit your personal time
on Facebook.
Stay visible online
professionally.

24. Tweet Bite #4
Twitter is the best tool for
home-based workers to
replace casual work
conversations. @Kinchie at
#locphx

25. Where We Are
Introduction
Truth #1: Your Workspace Matters
Truth #2: It’s Lonely in Paradise
Truth #3: It’s All On You
Truth #4: You Run The Show
Truth #5: You Live At Work
Conclusion

26. Truth #3: It’s All On You

27. Focus Exclusively On Work

28. You Have More Jobs To Do
Your new jobs:
Janitorial services.
Buying office supplies.
Shipping packages.
If you are self-employed:
Bookkeeping.
Marketing.
Legal.

29. You Are Tech Support
Upgrades.
Maintenance.
Backups.
Internet service.
Replacements.
Website / blog software
and hosting.
Social media.

30. Help Is Available
Virtual assistants and
concierge services.
Small project work to
part-time support.
Trade products and
services.
Business coach.

31. Tweet Bite #5
Find a balance between
trading for services and
paying clients for your
home-based office.
@Kinchie at #locphx

32. Where We Are
Introduction
Truth #1: Your Workspace Matters
Truth #2: It’s Lonely in Paradise
Truth #3: It’s All On You
Truth #4: You Run The Show
Truth #5: You Live At Work
Conclusion

33. Truth #4: You Run The Show

34. You Set Your Own Schedule

35. You Manage Many Things

36. What’s On Your Plate
Determine your daily
schedule.
Break jobs into tasks
and schedule them.
Keep yourself
motivated and on task.
Strategy for problem
solving.

37. Tweet Bite #6
In your home office, you
are the manager and the
worker bee and must be
great at both. @Kinchie at
#locphx

38. Where We Are
Introduction
Truth #1: Your Workspace Matters
Truth #2: It’s Lonely in Paradise
Truth #3: It’s All On You
Truth #4: You Run The Show
Truth #5: You Live At Work
Conclusion

39. Truth #5: You Live At Work

40. Zero Commute

41. Too Easy To Work
Easy commute to office.
Work materials
available.
Work when ideas strike.

42. Interesting Statistic
of home workers surveyed
around the world say that
separating work and home
life is the biggest downside
to working at home.
Economist Intelligence Unit, “Business in Motion, Managing the Mobile
Workforce,” a report sponsored by Alcatel-Lucent, April 2007, p. 2.

43. Tweet Bite #7
Most home office workers
struggle to separate work
from life thanks to zero
comminute time. @Kinchie
at #locphx

44. Create Boundaries
Physical boundary.
Alternate internet
access.
Notepad for ideas.
Separate phone line
(turn off ringer).

45. Where We Are
Introduction
Truth #1: Your Workspace Matters
Truth #2: It’s Lonely in Paradise
Truth #3: It’s All On You
Truth #4: You Run The Show
Truth #5: You Live At Work
Conclusion

46. Conclusion

47. Growth Opportunity
Home office pushes
you outside your
comfort zone.
Opportunity to try new
things.
Great learning and
growth opportunity.
Captain of your own
fate.

48. Supplemental Materials
My website www.crowinfodesign.com
Ebook about working from a home office
URL: www.crowinfodesign.com/laidoffcamp.htm
My blog blog.crowinfodesign.com
Write about my life in my home office
URL: blog.crowinfodesign.com/
My social media passport
Ongoing access to me and my materials