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A List Apart: Articles: Walking the Line When You Work from Home

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Though some share space with a spouse or work from the family couch, the consensus is that it takes a quiet place, cut off from the world, to do one’s best work.

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Having a good pair of headphones and some music you love helps to keep the external noise out while giving you that boost to keep working.

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There’s also the “closed-door” policy, in which your family understands not to bother you if the door to your office is closed.

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turn off the Twitter or chat client, and even close e-mail if you’re inclined to read and answer each one as it comes in.

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Although I’m not against talking on the phone when it’s necessary or when a client prefers it, in general I tend not to place calls or answer them while I’m in “the zone.”

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As for e-mail, it might help to set a time when you read and respond to it.

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It’s important not to isolate yourself in an office all day, particularly if you have a creative job.

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Get out of the house.

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Leaving the scene helps me more clearly define my immediate responsibility

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Be transparent: Be upfront and honest with your clients about how, where, and when you work.

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Be discriminating: Be choosy about your clients. Select only those you think will be able to work with your schedule and environment.

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Still, you don’t want them to assume you work a normal 9-5 schedule in a brick office downtown, free to design in quiet until the sun goes down.

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Tell them you work from home. Tell them your family is home during the day.

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Look for the like-minded, who don’t mind odd business hours and who won’t push deadlines too hard.

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I also don’t take any local clients.

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local prospects are deadline-driven, creatively dull, and less forgiving

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Life happens, and the way we deal with it matters more than whether we make a particular deadline.

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it’s better to miss a deadline and finish the project than roll out an unfinished project just to hit a deadline.

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I have a good list of colleagues I turn to when I need someone to pick up slack or when an impending family obligation is about to collide with a deadline.

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Work ahead

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Just as an accountant accounts for the money, you must account for time.

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Writing down or typing up what you’re doing helps.

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I started out using Dave Seah’s Printable CEO forms, but ended up making my own similar one that is much simpler for my needs.

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Tell your spouse, and the kids too, that you need their help staying “at work.”

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