My son manages a team of remote tech support reps for Apple. They are mostly new hires and college students who are spread all over the US. Because his is a more traditional job than voiceover is, I asked him for his insights about best practices for working from home. Here’s what he said:
#1 Realize that working from home is a job. It isn’t a time to slack off or to not take what you are doing seriously. It is just as serious as working in an office.
#2 Have a routine that you follow every day, Have a time that you work and a time that you don’t work. If you set strict office hours on yourself, you will not have your work overtake your home life and vice versa.
#3 Get fully dressed including shoes and cologne. Even though I am not going anywhere, I will get fully dressed with nice shoes, and I will also wear cologne. When I change into a t-shirt and gym shorts at the end of the day, it has a very powerful psychological effect. I am signaling to myself that I am no longer in work mode.
#4 Have a desk with a work space that you only work in. Do not ever spend your free time where you work, because there will not be any separation between your work and your life.
#5 Respect your job. What goes around comes around, and I believe if you are not respecting your job and are slacking off, or are doing things you shouldn’t be doing, you will get what you deserve. The same holds true if you are really showcasing integrity and always holding yourself accountable by always working during work hours and making sure you are spending your time being productive.
Hope this helps.
