What a difference a day makes! Looking back on articles about remote work, working from home, you will find a lot has shifted. Let’s take a look back. Iris Shamble wrote this first piece back in 2007. Much of what she writes is even more relevant and prevalent now that we have all had the experience of COVID-19 shutdown in 2020 and the virtual realities of doing work plus family plus kids at home.

Raising Your Family, While Working From Home
By Iris Shamble

Working at home is not new; it existed in the Middle Ages and during the Renaissance. According to one survey, about 40 percent of the total work force is either work-at-home, or self-employed. This is projected to rise about 20 percent each year.

Is working at home for everyone? Definitely not! Not everyone is able to handle being socially isolated. Not everyone is organized enough. Only you know what you are capable of doing.

You definitely have to be motivated and serious about this for it to work. If you are
serious about working at home, you will probably find a way to make it work for you. If
you desire to work, but want a schedule with your family, consider a part-time job you
can take while your children are at school. If you have a great desire of certain goals you want to achieve, take a full-time job for a short time. But remember your children.

There are many benefits to working in the home, but the most important that come to my mind are:

• Time with the family. This is one of the greatest benefits.

• The flexible schedule. You save on sick time, take a vacation (if you have things in balance), and have an open schedule for things that may come up.

• Convenience. You couldn’t find a better place to work.

• Reduced costs. You eliminate lunches out, clothing, gas, parking, and traffic.

• Fewer workplace distractions. You get more hours actually on the clock.

• The potential to achieve a great income.

• Healthier body, spirit, and mind!

There are many people changing work schedules because they are tired of the heavy toll that commuting takes on their lives. Workplace and commuting stress can result in high-blood pressure, chronic headaches, back pain, alcoholism, drug abuse, and disease.

Some companies now offer a compressed work week; many are even offering a
telecommute schedule. The compressed work week offers 10-hour work days, allowing a three day weekend every week. Nearly eight million employees now work at home
during normal business hours, according to Link Resources. This fastest growing part of the work-from-home population is made up of salaried workers, better known as
“telecommuters” or “teleworkers.” This not only saves on the wear and tear of the
employees, it also saves expense for the employers.

Now, let’s fast forward to something more recent. Here’s a quote from homeofficelife.com.

Does this sound familiar: it’s almost noon, you’ve been sitting at your desk in your pajamas, workout clothes, or whatever you wore the day before, and still haven’t taken a shower? This happened to me a few days ago. I started to leave my house early in the morning to go for a run, […]

This Quote is pulled from the post 5 Ways to Focus While Working From Home, which appeared first on Home office expert/author/working from home/home office tips.

Now, this sounds more like what we’ve all come to learn about working from home. It really does take intentionality to stay focused and motivated to do the work when you’re surrounded by home’s creature comforts.