Working from home was once seen as the role of amateurs, part-timers and those seeking an alternative lifestyle. With running a business from home you were always facing a credibility problem, especially with clients or potential clients from the big end of town.
But with changes in technology and a little smart planning, an increasing number of business people are enjoying the benefits of telecommuting and working from home.
There are some great benefits. You tend to be much more efficient, spending far less time in non-productive situations caused by travel and traffic.
There's also the opportunity of having more time with the family and in your own comfortable environment. It's also more flexible.
Then there's the dress code. You can wear what you want.
But there are down sides. The lack of social interaction with others. The isolation and discipline of working on your own. And all those other temptations to take you away from revenue generating, meaningful work.
What about if clients drop in to see you and you're still in your pajamas at 3 p.m., your work area is a mess and the kids are running amok.
The major problem though, is clearly separating work from downtime and home life. With your business literally only steps away from home, everyone faces the temptation of overworking and never leaving the office.
So if you're thinking of setting up your home office, here are 10 tips to make it work.
Thomas Murrell MBA CSP is an international business speaker, consultant and award-winning broadcaster. Media Motivators is his regular electronic magazine read by 7,000 professionals in 15 different countries.
You can subscribe by visiting http://www.8mmedia.com. Thomas can be contacted directly at +6189388 6888 and is available to speak to your conference, seminar or event. Visit Tom's blog at http://www.8mmedia.blogspot.com.