Many of us dreamt of staying at home, answering emails in our pajamas, getting
to spend more time with our families, and now it is becoming a reality. Entrepreneurship
has grown tremendously in the last 10 years. When you have a home office, how do
you separate the home from the office?
(article continued below ...)
If you have been in business for any length of time, you know there are
unexpected interruptions like the doorbell, the neighbor, the telemarketer, or
your kids spilling a whole box of spaghetti. Although you can never eliminate
these distractions completely, you can have a successful home business. Below
are some handy tips to remember whether you are just starting out, or even if
you have been in business for awhile.
1. Try to establish your office in a part of the house with a door
(if a door
is not an option, place it as far away from the “living space” as possible
within reason).
2. Make a sign for your family so they know when you are not to be
bothered.
Be creative “Busy Bee at Work” or something light-hearted so the children
will not feel afraid to approach if there is a problem.
3. When you are working WORK!
Do not mix personal activities with your
work time. The last thing you do each day should be plan the following day. Make
a specific schedule of when you’ll be working and when you will be doing
personal things. Try to keep all of your work items together to maintain the “work
frame of mind”. This will help you become more productive without feeling
overwhelmed and neglectful of your personal duties.
4. Do not overload yourself.
Those of us with home businesses tend to feel we
must do it all. If you sign a large contract that you know will require more of
your time, discuss it with your family By making your spouse/children aware of
your upcoming time requirements, you should be able to create a temporary
schedule with everyone helping out: dinner, wash, housework, etc.
5. You can say no.
If your work day is already full, do not accept a new job
that will put you on overtime. You have probably made several contacts that are
in a similar line of work. Consider creating a “referral arrangement” where
you can suggest services of other providers when you can’t accept a job. This
will benefit you in the reverse situation.
6. Make time for yourself.
Do not spend your free time sitting at your desk.
Go out for a walk, go shopping, read a book, but do something away from the
office. It is important that you not lose yourself just because you are an entrepreneur.
Reward your own hard work by stepping out for an ice cream, taking the kids to
the park, or anything else that will make you happy. 7. Most of all, set your
goals and follow them!
About the Author:
Jodi L Diehl is the owner of Sunfrog Services, a Virtual Assistant company.
You are welcome to contact her on the web at http://www.SunfrogServices.com
or
by email at Jodi@SunfrogServices.com
.
| 
