Jason Unger

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Working at home after working in the office all day is tough. The desire to sit in front of the computer and work on side projects isn't always there after a hard day of work. Of course, it would be much tougher if it wasn't just me and the wife.

So what's the best way to maximize your work-at-home time after working all day?

1. Don't Force Yourself
   I've found that too often I will sit down and really push myself to pump out an article or re-design a site without the drive. If you aren't feeling creative or especially passionate at that moment, don't waste your time.
2. Set a Goal and Stick to It
   If you set a goal to get specific items accomplished, your stress level goes down dramatically. Don't make working at home open-ended (if the creativity is not flowing). Meet your goal, and stop working.
3. When You Get Home, Don't Work Right Away
   Not only will your significant other appreciate you saying hello, but you'll get some time to relax after a long day. Of course, if you come home and have the flame lit, get cracking.
4. Set Time Limits
   Unless you're a person who can work all into the night and get up, well-rested for work the next day, it's important to determine just how long you will work for. Try not to stretch this out too long — as we all know, 5 minutes becomes 15, which becomes an hour, etc.
5. Take Days Off
   Working at home (after a full day of work) is arguably harder than a 9-5 job. And every so often, you need to take a vacation day from your 9-5. Do the same with side projects. Even though a day or two off might put you behind schedule, your drive and passion will flare up when you've had a day to relax and think about your work.

Hopefully some of these tips will help you out — they seem to work for me.

If you have any of your own work-at-home after work-all-day tips, please leave them in a comment below!