I hate telecommuting.

[Peter McFerrin]

Serious as a heart attack, man. When one's work space and one's recreation space are the same, the latter tends to crowd out the former. The result is that, whenever I try to be productive (like right now), I end up futzing around on the Internet or playing SimCity 4 or diddling around on bass or doing low-priority chores instead of actually working.

Most universities provide their doctoral students with a cubicle in a big bullpen or a desk in a shared office, and a computer with each. USC's School of Policy, Planning, and Development, however, didn't think to do that when they designed their current building a decade ago: unlike virtually every other doctoral program in the university, SPPD's doctoral students do not have reserved work space. So, instead of being able to "go into work," in an environment where I will have sufficiently few distractions (other than those offered by the Internet, of course) that I won't have any excuses for non-productivity, I'm tethered to my computer at home.

I have tried going to a "telecenter" or even just a USC computer lab to work, but transferring things to CD-Rs or onto a USB flash drive gets annoying. I have bitterly resisted getting a laptop, despite my parents imploring me to do so for years, because I hate using those damn tiny keyboards and I know I'd worry profusely about getting it stolen. I may end up getting one anyway: included with my fellowship is a one-time $2000 "scholarly bonus" for buying books, attending conferences, and other such expenses--including buying a computer--and I have not yet tapped it.

But yeah. Any other embittered telecommuters here?

 

[Diggler]

I wish I could telecommute. I have a 42 mile one way drive. They are looking into it though.

One hint that I saw was to set up rules in your computer (hosts file) or router to deny 'recreational' web sites. Also make sure you have a home office area, where you can get into work mode.

I use a laptop sometimes but plug in a USB keyboard and full size mouse. I won't use the small keyboard unless I have to.

 

[canopener]

I won't exactly be telecommuting full time, but starting this fall I will be taking courses online for a postbaccalaureate GIS certification. It will be four or five courses, each lasting ten weeks, and one per semester (three per calendar year). In addition to spending 8 hours a day staring at 3-D images, I will be coming home to work on additional mapping assignments in front of the computer. Hopefully, I won't be needing bifocals by the end of next year.

 

[jive1]

I wish my job would let me telecommute more often. With todays technology, I can do most of my work from home.

I like it. Depending on how you do it, you can get a tax break. It takes discipline to do it, and I admit that it is easy to get distracted. But, I've done it off and on for years, so getting a work routine isn't too bad for me. I love having the flexibility to do the tasks at hand, and being able to do doctor's appointments, errands etc. I also like the ability to work when I am the most inspired or have the most energy. Many times it's not during 9-5. I am a musician, after all.

Things that have helped me:

1. Remove ALL video games from the computer. I realized that I have no discipline regarding it, and it was better for me not to have them at all.

2. Have a specified work area and work hours. If you feel the need to segment and structure to accomplish, then do what you can. Having work hours helps you plan your time so that you can prioritize between a distraction and a pressing need. Plus, having work hours lets you tell others that you are unavailable.

3. Create accountability. Telecommuting while working for myself was harder than when I worked for a company. I found myself to be more productive if I told my supervisor I was working from home and the tasks I was doing. At the end of the day, I notified someone of what was completed. Find someone to be accountable to for what you've spend your time on. If nothing else, at least keep a task and progress journal so you are accountable to yourself.

4. The internet is a difficult distraction, yet a necessary tool. My rule was if I goofed around on the internet, it resulted in my working "overtime" to compensate. Leads me to the next tip...

5. Outline tasks to accomplish, as well as goals and milestones. Outline the tasks you have to do for the day, week, month, etc. For longer tasks, determine milestones and stopping points. This is useful so that you don't work too much, or too little. Get an idea of what you want to accomplish for the day, and make it a goal to do that.

If you falter in any of the above, keep on it. Don't be hard on yourself if you fail and goof around, just keep at it. Habits take practice to develop. I'm still practicing.

 

[MJ5150]

Nice tips Jive.

I telecommute when I can, and I love it. It does take some self control though. I just remember that my employer is paying me, and that helps to keep me on task.

-Mike

 

[threshar]

I've telecommuted every working day for the last 13 months.

It does take some conditioning to not want to play with your toys.
Some things that help are having a separate area. (I have a sep desk for work and one for play. My beloved basses are just behind me. And whiel tempting, I won't touch them during work hours).

Another thing that helps is having another machine used solely for work. (You can also write this off your taxes).

Just a matter of resisting the urge to futz around. It was easy for me.

 

[Peter McFerrin]

Unfortunately, due to low income, I can't really satisfy a lot of Jive's recommendations. Those are definitely useful to keep in mind, though.

 

[jive1]

Unfortunately, due to low income, I can't really satisfy a lot of Jive's recommendations. Those are definitely useful to keep in mind, though.

Almost none of my recommendations require money..

Removing video games saves money by not spending on video games, monthly user accounts for online stuff, and latest whiz bang video card.

Specified work area can be costly, but all it has to be is a table in a one room studio. But setting aside work hours is free. Even if you have another job, you still have to set aside time to work.

Creating accountability is free.
Disciplining yourself about the internet is free
Identifying tasks, goals and milestones is free.

Telecommuting saves money in gas and time spent commuting. I'd rather waste an hour on TB than being stuck in traffic. With gas prices lately, there really is a savings. Even with public trans, it's still cheaper to work from home.

Why covet a cubicle? One of the most uninspiring, demotivating environments to work in is a cubicle farm. Some people spend their entire adult lives in cubicles, no need to start early.

 

[Peter McFerrin]

Specified work area can be costly, but all it has to be is a table in a one room studio.

I don't have that. In a previous apartment where I had more personal space available, I attempted to establish a separate work area in my bedroom (the computer was in the living room), but it didn't get used. I would seriously do homework on the coffee table in front of the TV, rather than use my specified work area. I think the location in the bedroom had something to do with it: since my work desk was three feet from my bed, I ended up taking a lot of dubiously necessary naps instead of working.

I'm well aware of the gas that I'm saving--$3.25/gallon!--but, like most Americans, I prefer to have a degree of home-work separation. (There's a reason you see so much media hand-wringing about the BlackBerry, which effectively turns your whole world into the office.) Most of the successful home-based workers I've known have had the resources to establish completely separate personal offices/workshops on their property, and treat their living areas as sacred spaces into which no work can be allowed to penetrate--and vice versa. Needless to say, as a graduate student, I don't have the resources to do that. Cubicles suck, yes, but only compared to an actual office with a door you can close and a window that admits natural light. Hell, I'd take a desk in an open room (which is how my roommate works) as long as I could have headphones.

Given that I study transportation for a living, one of the things I've found is that achieving meaningful jobs-housing balance does not need to entail having everyone live on top of where they work. I realize that you're really happy with telecommuting, but shared live-work spaces will always be a niche market.

 

[MJ5150]

Peter brings up a good point, that I know at least I overlooked in my reading. When the area is exactly the same, it is way more difficult. It's easy to say "set up another room", but when the floor space isn't there, it doesn't matter how cheap it would be to build a desk or whatever.

For me, I work off a laptop at home. So when I telecommute, I use my laptop in another room away from anything that can distract me.

-Mike

 

[superbassman2000]

Removing video games saves money by not spending on video games, monthly user accounts for online stuff, and latest whiz bang video card.

i was thinking another free idea for keeping yourself from video games and even internet if you have to is that you can creat multiple accounts on your computer, a work account, with no video games and a personal account, with all your games on it...then while you are in your work account, if you feel the need to play a game, just tell yourself that if you feel like doing the work to get into your personal account, you have the energy to work on your work stuff

 

[Josh Ryan]

Nice tips Jive.

I telecommute when I can, and I love it. It does take some self control though. I just remember that my employer is paying me, and that helps to keep me on task.

-Mike

Exactly. I find fewer distractions at home anyway.

 

[syciprider]

I should be working on my literature review for my online thesis class but here I am farting around in TB.