The number of people wornking from home continues to rise. Technology continues to bridge the gap between face-to-face and virtual work environments and organizations are increasingly focused on getting results from their workforce and not just hours of employment. Employees are also seeking these unconventional work arrangements as a means to greater work-life satisfaction.

The dream of working from home, however, can quickly become a nightmare if you aren’t prepared for such an isolated and unstructured environment. This article provides five skills that may help working from home:

1. Self-Discipline: the most important skill is to be able to resist the numerous distractions vying for your attention. Those who work from home must create a work schedule that is aligned with their physical and mental energy, and seek to stay on that schedule as much as possible.

2. Flexibility: While a rigid schedule is necessary to give structure to your day, don’t be afraid to rearrange your day when necessary.

3. An Outcomes-Oriented Approach: The danger when working from home is that you might get several non-work tasks done during the day and give yourself a false sense of accomplishment. When starting each morning, clearly identify what you’re going to create or develop before the day is over.

4. Critical Thinking: When working at home you’ll need to be able to think creatively on your own. Set aside time to think.

5. Effective Communication Skills: Make it a habit to reach out to others on your team to discuss and seek answers when needed. Utilize different types of technology (e.g., Skype, join.me) to collaborate and work with team members.

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