Remote Work Digest: May 9, 2017

FRESNO, Calif. - May 8, 2017 - PRLog -- The latest on all kinds of information, news, and resources that help you make working remotely better.

These 10 tips will help you enjoy working from home | Joshua Trudell, Rare.us

Having a home office and working from home can be a blessing and a curse. Here are 10 tips that'll help you enjoy working in your own space.

1. Figure out tax repercussions
To write off home-office costs, you must use the area for work only and on a regular basis. You should be able to write off 100 percent of costs associated exclusively with your home office — everything from buying a work computer to office supplies.

2. Create a daily work schedule
If you work for one company, try to set well-defined work hours to avoid phone calls and emails without boundaries on your personal time. If you are a well organized self-starter with time management skills, you'll be better off.

3. Keep your visibility high
People who work from home are often saddled with an unfair label that they can't really manage others while working from home.

To help ward that off, make an effort to show-up on a regular basis for meetings and other office gatherings.

4. Be an extrovert
Co-workers can also be envious of your freedom, so make the effort to get out of the house and get in an out-of-the-office lunch or coffee with them to avoid the hard feelings.

5. Network electronically
Look into judicious use of social media – particularly those outlets that can relate to your profession, such as LinkedIn. Comment on posts and contribute your own to display your expertise and get that connected feeling.

6. Get dressed (or not)
If you're going to be more comfortable and can stay focused on work while in jeans and a T-shirt – that's one of the benefits of working at home. if you are going to be meeting or videoconferencing with co-workers or clients, you should dress appropriately.

7. Be prepared to be your own IT department
If you're an employee, try to butter up someone in the IT department, who you can reach out to in a pinch. If not, invest in some training – possibly an inexpensive class at a community college or know the quickest route to the Apple store in your neighborhood.

8. Become familiar with web-based applications
Know the cloud, love the cloud – it's your friend.

9. Don't forget about insurance
Most home-business owners have little or no coverage from their homeowner's policy. What's more, if you file a homeowner's (or renter's) claim for losses that stemmed from an undisclosed home-based business, your insurer may not cover it.

10. Set up your computer so you don't waste time online
Try setting up two user accounts – one for work, which allows the apps and sites you need to get work done, and another for personal use. If you continue to have issues, try getting a laptop for personal use and put it somewhere inconvenient during the day.

Read More: https://blog.worksnaps.com/2017/05/09/remote-work-digest-...