Working from home-how much time are you actually working.

When many people first start out in their endeavor to work from home, they often think that it is going to be lazy days and drinks by the poolside. Well, maybe not everyone, but more than a few do actually think this way. It’s important to have your priorities straight before you get to deep into thinking about working from home. The first problem I encountered was time management.

Time management when working from home is crucial. Initially, I would go to work about nine or ten and be done by two or three in the afternoon. This was in my first few weeks and I thought it was great. I was working about five to six hours a day and making pretty good money.

The problem was when I started to think about what I accomplished during the day. I was at my desk or the couch with a laptop for these five or six hours, yet I didn’t seem to be getting a lot of work done. That’s when I decided that I need a time management system and I needed to track my time better throughout the day. That way I could see where and what I spent my time on during those working hours.

What I found out was startling. Although I was working about six hours a day, I was actually only working on projects that I was being compensated for, at about two hours of my day. The rest of the day, I was answering e-mail or talking on instant messenger to friends. I somehow equated with sitting at my desk and computer as working, when actually that wasn’t the case.

So now, with time management in the forefront of my mind, I am able to work from home more efficiently and I am more productive. Sometimes I get all of my work done for the day in about four hours and then I go do some of my favorite hobbies.

Think about your time management and if you could or should improve on it.