Six Sigma at ‘Work from Home’ setting !

Being a lean six sigma expert I can’t help but apply some of the tools when confronted by the simple yet complex situation of working from home with 2 toddlers.

Working from home is not as easy as it looks like, sometimes it gets even busier than your erstwhile office days where you could quickly take a coffee/snack break in the multi cuisine snack bar with your work buddy or could go to one of the ‘quiet’ rooms for a 5min calming session.

I started my ‘wfh’ journey 18 months back and have no regrets and if you have decided to work from home due to family commitments, here are some suggestions to help keep you on track. Trust me all of these I have learnt through experience ;-)

1: SETTING UP

This is primarily a psychological trick — but it's incredibly important. If you don't separate your workspace and your home space, you will always feel like you are at work. That feeling will do a serious number on your psyche. Don't let it happen. Unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury of a spare room to serve as an office. In that case, do what you can to separate your work area from the rest of the home. This may mean using curtains or a standing screen to block your office from the rest of the house — or working in a basement. If you can't do that, at least make sure to step away from your work desk at the end of the day and don't look back.

Dress for work (if needed)

In fact, if you need a routine, get up at a regular time, shower, dress, and step into your office and do the daily grind in the comfort of your loafers and best casual Friday wear.

2: DEFINE the tasks for the day and stop when its over!

This is probably the single most challenging pitfall you will face. Working from home makes it easy to keep on going... in the evening, when you should be giving your attention to yourself or others. This isn't so much about having a rigid clock-out time, but knowing when you've completed all you need to complete that day. Once you've finished those tasks, quit. Step away from the office and be done. If you continue to work beyond your daily task list, you set yourself up to blur the boundaries between work time and personal time.

3: Don’t forget to IMPROVE your social skills

This one is tough for some. The idea of working alone is appealing to many people. The problem is, when you do work by yourself (day in and day out), it can become easy to retreat within and stop having any connection with the outside world and other people. After a while, this becomes the norm and those social skills will start to suffer. Make sure, on a daily basis, that you socialize — and not on Facebook! You need face to face and mouth to ear communication to keep these skills sharp. 

4: Accountability to Action

This one is tough to satisfy. When you're working in an office, that company is responsible for the security of your data. But when you're working from home that may not be the case. If you are freelance or contract, you're on your own. So you must take precautions to protect and back up your data. This is especially important if you are handling sensitive client information. Do not just depend upon a router and modem from your network provider. Encrypt the data, keep it on a non-networked machine ─ whatever you have to do to keep it safe from prying eyes.

5: Map the Business Requirements

You may not have an IT department budget behind you to keep you in laptops, tablets, desktops, printers, etc. If you are a freelancer or contract for hire, this is completely on you. You will need to make sure you have the equipment you need. If you run into an instance where you don't have the tech to get a job done, buy it. (Remember, in some cases, it will be a tax write off.) Don't hesitate to purchase what you need to do your work. Keep your machines running smoothly, your printers in ink, and keep anything on hand that will enable you to get the job done without "making do."

6: Containment

This covers a number of factors. First and foremost, make sure you keep good documentation for tax purposes. You'll most likely have a lot of expenses to claim. Speak with your accountant so you know exactly what you need. Also — and all freelancers and contract workers will understand this — make sure you have enough in savings should things go belly up. Working from home (especially when you don't have a company as a safety net) can be a bit less secure than standard employment. Planning for the future means making sure you have a future.

What works for you?

Working from home can be like living a vacation 24/7/365 if you navigate those waters with care and planning. Don't let any of these traps snare you and you'll enjoy your life away from the drudgery of the office.

 What's the biggest problem you've encountered working at home? I would love to hear from you…

Will talk about 'Competitive Advantage' in small wfh businesses in my next...