Claire Keyes in her home office with Greta, her seasonal foot warmer

As two of Bader Rutter’s off-site associates, my colleague Amanda Powell and I are used to the comments and assumptions that result when we tell people we “work full-time from home.” And while working from home has its advantages, it is definitely a unique challenge. Here are some of our tricks for making the most of our satellite offices.

1. Treat it like a real office. Some people think working from home means watching Oprah, doing laundry and wearing yoga pants. And, we would like you to test that out — and see how far your career goes (and how far your waistband stretches). The truth is, you have to treat your home office just like a “real” office. Set the alarm, shower and get ready, and go to your office. Dedicate a space in your home for work only, void of outside distractions. That means at the end of the day, you can close the door and enjoy the rest of your home.
2. Become a techie, sort of. You should also embrace office-quality technology, such as a high quality headset for long conference calls. A mute button is priceless if you have a dog — but that’s a different post. In addition, it’s imperative to have a team of professionals that can help you out with any technical issues. This will help minimize downtime in the event of a Web outage, or the uncomfortable blue screen of death.
3. Mix it up a little. As much as a routine is good, you should also exercise your freedom a bit. Living and working under the same roof can make you a little crazy. Sometimes a change of scenery is good so the walls of your house don’t start to close in on you. Get outside for some fresh air at lunch, work for a few hours a week at a place with free wi-fi (library, Panera, etc.), or if you really start to miss people, you could even consider an office rental. Some large cities even offer workspace rental — a pretty neat concept for people craving social interaction. 
4. Give yourself a break. You need to get your work done and be accountable for your assignments, but people who work from home don’t have the distractions of normal office settings (coffee talk, vending runs, drop-in visits from colleagues, loud hall talkers, window washer scaling the building …). Without the distractions, you’ll realize how highly productive you are! Remember that you need to take breaks. Look away from your computer and get your blood pumping so you don’t become a sedentary blob. Step away for a few quick stretches, walk out to the mailbox, take a lunchtime walk with the dogs for some Vitamin D. Let your backyard be your lunchtime play box when the weather permits (you know, kind of like recess for adults).
5. Speak up. If most of your colleagues are in the office and you’re out there on your own “home office island,” it is imperative to stay involved and make yourself available. That means picking up the phone and calling in with questions, avoiding the e-mail trap — phone time is critical, as is sticking to your routine office hours as closely as possible. Going the extra mile to let your team know you exist will pay dividends.

Do you have tips for working from home? Or questions about how we do it? If so, feel free to share them with us.