The current state of the economy is troublesome for millions of people across the country and billions of people across the world. What will it take to turn the economy around and create jobs in order to lower the unemployment rate? No one really has answers for this question. Even though there have been more and more layoffs over the past couple of months, there are people who have begun to work from home in an effort to make money.

Those who have been laid off turn to self-employment to make money, especially if a job hunt has yielded no prospects for new jobs. Not everyone can work from home though, as it is a very tough thing to get used to if you have never done it in the past. You will need to be very strict regarding deadlines and getting to the task at hand. Procrastination can kill a person’s self-employment dreams if not taken care of immediately.

It is best for those who work from home to have a separate area to work in that is not the family room, living room, kitchen or bedroom. These rooms can cause plenty of procrastination by the worker because of televisions, radios, books, food, video games and much more. You will want to remove yourself from the bad influences in your home in an effort to get your work done correctly and on-time so that you keep your clients happy.

When working from home, answer the phone as infrequently as possible, unless the calls are in regards to the business you are running. Also, make sure that your family and friends know that you will need limited interruptions on their end if you wish to complete your work to task. It is as simple as posting a “do not disturb” sign on your office door that will let them know of your wishes not to be interrupted.

Another tip for working at home is to put on casual clothes. Do not work in your pajamas because this will cause you to remain tired and want to nap. Putting on casual clothes, like it is casual Friday at a traditional office, will make you want to work harder. Make sure you shower in the morning instead of at night so it wakes you up for a busy day of work. Do not take too much time for your lunch break. You do need to give yourself some time to take a break from work, but do not become a workaholic where you are involved in your work 24 hours per day.

The final tip to be a successful work at home professional is to make a schedule and stick to it as much as possible. Either type up a schedule and print it out to hang in your office, buy a calendar planner, or use an electronic calendar that sends you email reminders or pop-up reminders on your phone. This will help you get your tasks done on-time and without forgetting to complete an assignment.