Teleworking is more than just working from home. It takes self-discipline, self-motivation and effective time management skills. The following are some tips for a successful telework practice:

• Location

  Identify an appropriate workspace in your home. You may not need an entire room–any space that’s quiet and free from distractions (including the television) is adequate. If your home is not suitable for telework due to lack of space, distractions, or the unavailability of high-speed Internet access, consider alternate locations such as a telework center.

• Schedule

  Your schedule should be clearly defined in your employer’s telework agreement. Employees will need to agree to follow this schedule. Having set hours, designated breaks and routine times for checking in with the office will help you meet others’ expectations.

• Routine

  Without a daily commute to the office, teleworkers may wish to create a new morning ritual to help prepare for their workday at home. This routine could be as simple as a morning walk, listening to music or the radio, or a morning exercise program.

  Ending the workday with a ritual is equally important, because it allows you to mentally "leave work." An end of day routine could be as simple as shutting your office door or picking up your kids from daycare.

Developing a telework system can be an effective way to organize your off-site work. Here are a few examples of things you can include to help make your teleworking program a success:

• Create A Daily "To-Do" List

  Plan your work assignments before teleworking. Prepare to transport or electronically transfer any potential materials you may be unable to access from an off-site location. Create a list of goals and review the list at the end of the day to assess your progress.

• Stick To Deadlines

  Treat deadlines exactly as you would if you were working in the office. Whenever possible, submit your assignments early, either electronically, by mail or by messenger. For your own job security, always keep a paper trail to prove when, how and to whom you submitted your assignments.

• Maintain Communication With Your Office

  Continual communication will reassure your manager and coworkers that you don’t have to be in the office to be contributing to the work. Keep your supervisor in the loop on project status, progress and especially any concerns that may threaten a deadline. Check in with the receptionist and others, on a daily basis. If you can’t be seen then above all, be accessible.

  You will need an answering machine, or preferably voice mail with remote access to check your messages continually throughout the day. If you are unable to forward your office voicemail to your home office, then have the receptionist forward your calls to you. Your continual communication with the office reassures others that you are completing your valuable work. Your continued communication will help to cultivate the trust required for a successful telework program.

• See And Be Seen At Work Functions

  For the sake of interoffice rapport and job security, make every attempt to attend office gatherings and group meetings. Do not allow telework to make you appear uninvolved, detached or invisible to work colleagues or management.

• Managing Interruptions

  Teleworking is a fairly modern concept that family and neighbors may misunderstand as, "not really working." Hold a family meeting and develop a list of mutually agreed upon interruptions that are allowed. That said, be flexible. Sometimes doing an errand will give your work a needed break and help you focus when you return.