The 5 Top Gotchas of Telecommuting

Dream of working from home at least a few times per week? The reality is probably a little different than you imagine.

It's important to approach telecommuting with your eyes open, ready to avoid common pitfalls that commonly snag so many people who try to work from home.

Last week, the New York Times published an article by Sylvia Marino, executive director of community operations at Edmunds.com. As a telecommuter, Sylvia debunked what she described as the "myths of telecommuting."

You can read the entire article for more details, but I've collected some key takeaways based on her experiences:

• Shower and dress as if you're going to work. It's important to have structure and routine.
• On a conference call and the dog barks? Don't panic. Apologize, lead the dog out of the office, and shut the door.
• Don't tell anyone at your kids' school that you work from home -- there's often an expectation that you can "get away" anytime to help out.
• Set rules with the kids so they don't interrupt you when you're working. Sylvia says: "When I have my headset on, they know I'm on the phone. On the rare occasions when they really need me, they'll mouth a question or use pantomime to communicate."
• You're not always available. It's important not to be perceived as holding up work back in the main office, but at the same time, you still have to leave the desk for meetings, meals, and family time (at the end of the day).