20-40-60 Etiquette---Should I set work rules?

YOU ASK! WE ANSWER! YOU DECIDE!

By Callie Gordon, Lillie-Beth Brinkman, Helen Ford Wallace

QUESTION: My new job requires me to work from home. Is it possible to combine a private and professional life in that environment? Do I need to set personal rules for talking to my clients? Do I need to structure hours for taking calls? How do I politely let my contacts know that they need to call only at reasonable workday hours? Do I need a specific work area?

CALLIE’S ANSWER: Yes, it is possible to keep your personal and private life separate. Tell your clients your work hours. However, keep in mind what your job is and how available you want to be. This is all up to what you want.

LILLIE-BETH’S ANSWER: If it’s possible to structure the hours for calls, then that would be ideal. That way you’re in control of your schedule and know when you can give your full attention to your clients. You can set appointments around your schedule and tell clients in emails when you are available. Make sure your hours are generous enough to handle your work. It all depends on your job and the expectations your clients or bosses have of you. And yes, a specific work area is best, even if it’s a small corner of your house, so it feels like work when you are sitting there.

In various jobs through the years, I have enjoyed the privilege of working from home It can be difficult to juggle, but I always made sure to focus on my job during work time, which meant no laundry, no housework, etc. After having children, that juggle became more difficult, but in the past, I have hired a sitter to watch my kids while I worked from home. When they were little, I would kiss them goodbye, walk out the back door and then have the sitter distract them while I sneaked in the front door. That way, they wouldn’t know I was home to interrupt me. Enjoy the time working from home. It takes some getting used to, but it’s nice to be able to return phone calls in your pajamas.