What? A professional at home? Any other time this certainly wouldn’t of phased me, however, I just so happened to be on the phone with a client who was interested in making a very large purchase from me. I would like to of died!

Instead, I start to apologize and explain that I’m a work-at-home mom and that the daycare was closed due to vacations, etc… Thank goodness my client had a sense of humor! He immediately started to laugh and told me that he has 3 kids of his own.

So, needless-to-say, being professional while working-from-home can be quite challenging at times, especially when you have kids. I learned, very early on, being a work-at-home mom requires daycare – period!

Creating and maintaining a professional persona while working-from-home has been vital to my success. Consider a few steps that I have taken and see how they might help you as well:

Step 1:
Create a routine work schedule for yourself. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted with house-work or running errands – you’ll never get anything done.

Step 2:
Make your routine work schedule known to your family and friends. Make it clear to them that you are working during this time.

Step 3:
If you deal with clients or customers, have normal business or working hours during the day when they can contact you.

Step 4:
Answer your phone as a professional, just as you would if you were working for a company away from your home.

Step 5:
Organize your work area just as you would if you were working away from home. Keep toys, empty dinner plates, etc… out.

Step 6:
Never lose your sense-of-humor – you’re going to need it!

TIP:
It takes self-discipline, planning, creativity and juggling to be a successful work-at-home professional, to say the least. Don’t get discouraged. Let time, experience and experimentation be your guides and teachers.

QUESTION:
How do you do it? How do you be professional while working from home?