Who hasn’t thought about how great it would be to get up in the morning and walk a few short steps to the office? Modern technology has made telecommuting a real possibility for many working people, and each year, more of us are giving up the daily commute and setting up shop at home. The most recent statistics indicate nearly four percent of Americans are now working from home, and this number will continue to increase in the next decade.

While this arrangement can be ideal, working from home can be a bit more challenging than one would expect. Here are some tips that will help you make the transition.

1. Have a Defined Work Space

If you are going to be successful working from your home, you need to set up a defined, designated work space. Sitting at the kitchen table or working in the living room is not conducive to productivity, and you will be subject to constant distraction. Ideally, you should have a separate office in which you can keep your computer, files, fax machine, and other equipment. If this is not possible, set up a work area in the corner of a low-traffic room, perhaps even in your bedroom. The important thing is to have a space that will not be disturbed by family members and that will allow for the least amount of distraction possible.

2. Get Organized

Eliminate as much clutter as you can from your work area, and have adequate storage for files and other supplies. Have everything that you need close at hand so that you aren’t searching through your house for notes or other requirements. Use a whiteboard or corkboard to map out strategies, and a planner to keep track of appointment and project due dates. The better organized you are, the more productive you will be.

3. Have the Proper Equipment

Working from home doesn’t always require a huge investment, but you will need the proper tools for your trade. Depending on the nature of your business, this can include a computer, printer, fax machine, copy machine, shredder, broadband Internet service, and a separate telephone line. Starting out with everything you need will save you time, making your more efficient.

4. Set Up Regular “Office Hours”

People who work from home don’t have to “be” anywhere at a specific time. This is one of the luxuries of working from home. But this can also be a drawback in that, without having a set schedule, there is always the temptation to sleep a little later and not put in a full day’s work. To be successful, it is important to set up a schedule when you will focus solely on work.

Your work hours will depend on the job that you are doing. If client contact is a part of your business, you will need to be available during conventional working hours. But if your work is not dependent on the working hours of others, you can work whatever hours suit you. The important thing is to have a schedule and stick to it.

One of the pitfalls of working from home is that because work is only steps away, it is easy to fall into a trap of working all hours of the day and night. This can be important in the start-up stage of a business, but we all need some down time. Certainly, there will be occasions when you will need to put in some extra hours, but try to plan some leisure time every day.

5. Dress for Success!

One of the benefits of working from home is that you don’t have to fret about what to wear each morning and can dress casually. But casual doesn’t mean spending the day in your bathrobe. To get into the business mode, get up, take a shower, and get dressed every morning as though you were leaving the house to go to work. You can still put on a pair of jeans or sweats, but actually getting ready for work will help motivate you, further defining your working hours from your leisure time.

6. Separate Work from Family Responsibilities

This is often easier said than done. Before you begin working from home, discuss the arrangement with your family. Explain that even though you are at home, you are going to be working, and that certain things will have to wait until after you are finished for the day. The benefit of this arrangement is that you can be home when your children come home from school, and can work around their schedules. But there will be times when you cannot be disturbed, and you may want to consider making arrangements for after-school activities or day care a few days a week.

You should not use work time to clean the house, cook or run errands. Every time you are tempted to do something that is not work-related, ask yourself whether or not you would be able to do this if you were working in an office.

7. Avoid Distractions

While you are working, keep the television off, and limit personal phone calls. Let your friends know that you are working and discourage unannounced visits. Sometimes people assume that, because you are home, you aren’t really working.

One of the biggest distractions for all working people is the Internet. With no one to monitor your actions, it is real easy to start surfing the web, only to find that you have wasted an entire afternoon. Always remember what your purpose is and behave accordingly.

8. Set an Agenda

Start each day with a clear idea of what you want to accomplish. Make a list and then check each item off as you finish. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and a starting point for the next day. Certainly, the nature of your business will often dictate what needs to be done, but as your own boss, you have no one else to whom you are accountable. Having a daily agenda helps better define the shape of your day and can keep you on track.

9. Give Yourself a Break

It is real easy to get so caught up in your work that you literally don’t stop all day. But make it a point to allow yourself a lunch break every day. Meet a friend for lunch or go to the mall for an hour. You will be able to return to work much more relaxed, which will lead to increased productivity.

10. Don't Isolate

People who work from home often complain about the lack of interaction with others during the day. Certainly, it is nice to have someone to chat with about work problems or to run ideas by, even though visiting with coworkers often cuts into productive work time, interrupting your train of thought.

To solve this problem, look for a professional group of people engaged in the same business as you are. There are organizations for just about every profession, and these can be located by searching online. Join a professional organization, subscribe to the magazine or newsletter, and attend meetings. You can also look for online groups with people sharing common interested. Many of these sites have message boards where you can share ideas and network. These boards are a great resource for sharing information and making new contacts.

Working from home offers incredible flexibility and freedom, but this does not come without some compromise. The bottom line is to remember that, although you are in comfortable, familiar circumstances, you are still working. As long as you keep that in mind, you can be successful in this endeavor.