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Issue 6 > The top seven taboos for working from home.

The top seven taboos for working from home.

Jeff Zbar on working well from home.

During a recent interview, a reporter told me he'd been fed a litany of rules and taboos related to being an effective home office worker or home business owner. In short order, I set him straight by quashing this cockamamie conventional wisdom:

1 Home officers don't do chores between 9am-5pm. The lawn, laundry and errands all are fair game. If deadlines are met, distraction is ok.

2 In the SOHO (small or home office), home officers work 'normal' hours. Sure, I guess, if 'normal' includes the hours between 5pm and 9am. In a recent poll on ChiefHomeOfficer.com, 56% of poll participants said they get their best work done after sunset; 29% said it came before sun-up. A mere 15% said 'between 9am and 5pm.' Thankfully, none said 'weekends'. At least I know we're not a totally whacked lot.

3 Home officers dress for success. My 'business suit' is a tank top with shorts, surgical scrubs or flannels; on cold mornings I might even don socks. I often go unshaven for days on end. My slacks and Polo Oxford are reserved for those times I actually have to leave the home office. Shaving is done en route with the electric razor.

4 Kids are kept at bay during the day. Certainly, unless I want to play some hoops, toss someone (maybe even myself) in the pool, or take Riley—our Kerry blue terror and fourth child—on a long walk. Our kids know the deal: If Daddy's on the phone, stay away. If he wants to partake in some shenanigans, you'll know about it soon enough.

5 Desks are cleared at day's end. Let's make one thing clear: People with neat desks scare me. Mine gets cleared when big projects end or the weekend comes. Come Monday, the clutter arises anew. Besides, years ago my father had a sign in his office that put that reality into writing: 'Please don't straighten out the mess in my office. You'll confuse me and screw up my whole world.' Touche.

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