Transform Your Home Office into a Space Respected by Friends and Family

Working from home can be both a blessing and a bit of a challenge. On one hand, you get to skip the morning drive and forget about the dress code. On the other hand, convincing others to respect your work time at home can be tough. Just because you’re in pajamas doesn’t mean your work is less important than if you were in a traditional office.

It’s important to address this issue right away. Here’s how you can make sure your home office is taken seriously.

If you’re working from the couch with a laptop while “Game of Thrones” plays in the background, it’s hard for your kids to see it as real work. The living room is where they’re used to watching cartoons or playing, and they also see you with your laptop sometimes just watching YouTube, so it gets confusing.

What you need is a designated workspace.

Having a separate room is ideal, but even a desk in the living room corner can do the trick. Everyone will know that when you’re sitting there, you’re working, so they should avoid interrupting you. If having a specific space isn’t possible, try setting certain work hours. Even though the kitchen table is a common area, you can use it for work during your specified office hours.

Getting specific office hours in place is essential too. Once your friends know your work schedule, they’ll understand you can’t just hang out or chat online for hours. When your work hours are clear, it’s less likely someone will ask you to run errands just because “you’re home anyway.”

You might think, “I chose to work from home for the flexibility. This ruins the whole point.” But it doesn’t. You still have flexibility; in fact, having office hours gives you some structure. No one says you must work from nine to five every day. If it’s better for you to work from five in the morning until noon, go for it. I know someone who works from three in the morning until two in the afternoon, four days a week, and takes Fridays off. That’s how she stays productive. Pick hours that suit you and stick to them.