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Six quick tips for working at home
Working from home has become a common part of modern life, whether one is running a business or simply telecommuting. Here are some tips to get you started and maintain your sanity.
By Chang Hui Chew
With modern technology, working at home is no longer the rarity it was. For many, running a business from home or working from home has many perks, including being able to spend more time with ones family, not needing to dress up for work, or simply being able to sleep in a little later. However, working and living in the same space can be even more stressful than going to a physical office. Here are some tips to help you keep your life in balance. Remember, you need both a healthy mind and body to continue to work and support yourself and your loved ones.
1. Keep it legit
Both the Housing Development Board (HDB) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), allow homeowners to apply for the Home Office Scheme, to either run their business from, or work at home. Businesses registered under this scheme cannot affect the living environment, such as by generating smoke, noise or odours, nor should it involve unsafe activities or the storage of hazardous substances. Of course, the business cannot be illegal, unlawful or immoral either.
2. Cleanliness is next to godliness
One of the common home businesses we see are home caterers or home bakers. The National Environmental Agency (NEA), while not mandating that small scale home based business apply for commercial licenses, has a number of hygiene guidelines. These include not selling to retail food outlets, confining food preparation to the kitchen and refraining from letting pets roam freely in the house. More information can be attained from NEAs website.
3. Watch out for the meter man
If you are planning to purchase a SOHO (small office home office) unit to both live in and run your business out of, check the buildings zoning first. If the building is zoned commercial, you could be liable to pay commercial utility fees. Utility companies will put you on business or commercial plans for their services, which are markedly higher than regular residential plans. You should factor these into your businesss operation costs if you decide to pursue this option.
4. Maintain privacy
If you are running a business from home, we suggest that you do not use your homes address as your business mailing or registration address. There are several virtual office options that provide you with a range of services, from a downtown mailing address, to a telephone receptionist, at reasonable rates. Looking up the physical address registered for a websites domain is really simple, so using a virtual office will help you to maintain some professionalism, and protect your familys privacy.
5. Maintain some discipline
When working at home, it becomes too easy to slack off, reducing productivity. Dont get into the habit of sleeping in on workdays and get over to your workspace at a fixed time. Set up some rules with your family members, such as not being disturbed while you are in your workspace. Just because you are at home does not mean your time has become theirs. Most of all, you need the discipline to stick to these rules, otherwise youll often find that a day has passed without accomplishing anything.
6. Smell the roses
Working at home might mean that your entire day, from waking to sleeping, is confined to a few square metres. Make sure that you develop some healthy habits, such as taking short breaks outside to breathe fresh air, going for jogs in the park, or hitting the gym. This will help you keep the extra kilos away, and provide you with outlets for your accumulated stress. Even if you dont think you need a break, your family might need a break from you too.
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 | This article was first published in the print version The PropertyGuru News & Views. Download PDF of full print issues or read more stories now! | ||
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