Day 4

Subject: Following on from yesterday, [firstname]

Hi [firstname],

I want to follow on a bit from what we were talking about yesterday.

You see, in addition to keeping regular hours, it's also important to establish a routine to get you in a business frame of mind.

Think about it for a moment… 

When you work away from home, you have a routine.  For starters, you leave home!  You may drive your car, walk to the bus stop or train station.   Maybe you buy a newspaper or a cup of coffee.  Perhaps you listen to a certain radio station while you're traveling.

When you get to work, there are usually certain things you do as soon as you get there and you do them almost without thinking.

The same sort of thing happens at the end of your working day, culminating with you walking through the door when you get home.

When you work from home, though, the lines can get blurred. So it's a good idea to do certain things at the beginning and end of each day to start and end your working time. 

For example, I work from home and have done so for many years.  My working day starts when I turn on my computer.  I always check e-mails first.  That signifies the start of my working day.  I can then act on those e-mails from clients and customers and devote my time to working.

At the end of the day I turn the computer off and write down a list of things I've worked on that day in my diary.  That's it, working day done! 
When you're working from home, remember to take breaks and eat lunch. I have software called Workrave (download free from http://www.workrave.org/) which has screen pop-ups to remind me when it's time to stop.  It also helps me to avoid getting RSI.

One final thing: It's OK to take sick days and vacations when you work from home.  Don't feel that you have to be “on call” all the time.

Warmly,

[Your Name]

PS. Don't forget your copy of my working from home productivity guide.  Here's the link [link to sales page].
