TELECOMMUTING IN PEACHTREE CITY

I work at home. If I say it out loud, it sounds lazy. It makes it sound like I am one of those guys who stands around with no shirt, cradling a baby to his chest. Now if I say I am a telecommunications specialist, it doesn't sound so bad. Basically though, I work in my home, on my computer and telephone like almost every other worker today, whether at home or at an office.

If you subtract the few that actually use their hands as their work it leaves the rest of us; those that talk and point & click, and talk and type and talk and print, and talk and email and talk. The one advanage this age of technology affords us (besides beepers at restaurants) is, all the things I listed above can be done from the home. Though most still drive hours a day to go to an office, they could be doing the exact same things in their mortaged-to-the-hilt house. More and more companies are moving to this concept.

In dispelling some myths and fears and offering some suggestions on efficiency, here are some ways telecommuting could work for you or your company (Feel free to show these to your boss).

First, it's a myth that everybody who works from the home is just sitting around in boxer shorts eating cheetos. This is the real reason so many company heads don't allow telecommuting. It's not about cost or communication. They fear their employees will actually be relaxing and enjoying themselves at the job. It could be real concern, or maybe, it's just jealousy. I just know from my perspective I never wear boxer shorts, nor do I ever eat cheetos.

Another myth about telecommunications is that employees aren't motivated enough to get any work done on their own. This is ridiculous. We have raised a nation of workaholics. Most workers would spend the hours typically driving, now working. If all of a sudden everyone was rich and didn't need to work, what would people do? We would invent theme parks that included rides like, "The AT&T Conference Call Cyclone," "The Lotus Great American Spreadsheet Machine," and the enivitable, "Microsoft Office Politics Mind Bender." Though, it has nothing to do with work our park would still have a log flume.

In Peachtree City, there are some easy ways to be efficient with your work. You can ask Longhorn Steakhouse to replace that exercise show they always play ont their TVs with CNN during your lunch hour. You can carry your cell phone to the tennis courts. And best of all, you can install a fax machine on your Golf Cart.

As for my personal tips on working in the home, here are some Do's and Don'ts. Do keep your door closed during important phone calls. Don't keep your door open when ordering in Pizza (the aroma attracts the wife and kids to join you). Do turn in full reports about your daily project list and calls. Don't turn in reports smudged with "Butterfingerprints." Do offer to come into the office as needed. Don't offer to come into the office and show them how you learned to juggle a stapler, a tape dispenser and an adding machine. Do still maintain a atmosphere of professionalism. Don't say, "Could you hold, this is the last 5 minutes of the 'Young and the Restless.'"

After all, what is progress if we don't use it to better our lives

Billy Murpy -- 8/29/97