How to balance your home and your business under the same roof
Many people dream about being able to work at home. Just image getting out of bed when you like and working at home while you sip your café latte.They feel that without the commute, water cooler conversations and office politics, they'll be more focused and, consequently, more efficient. However, being in charge of your own schedule holds the potential for some unforeseen drawbacks that can affect your stress level. You may find it difficult to motivate and organize yourself without the pressure of accountability and having to report to a boss for certain tasks.
One of the attractions to working from home is that there is no schedule to work to, however this then means that you have to be organized and responsible in managing your timen yourself. I have put together some tips to help you get organized and keep you office organized which will then allow you to be productive and successful:
1. Have your work area in a separate, closed off area in your home. It can be just a desk and computer with a filing cabinet as long as it is a designated workstation and other members of the family are aware of it. You will also need to be able to get easy access to the files that you need to it is important to keep it clean and uncluttered to improve productivity.
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2. Find the way that you work most efficiently. What type of work environment allows you to work at your best? Do you strategize more creatively when you are on a comfortable couch, or at a business desk?
Your home office is your domain--add items such as resource books or family pictures that support your business efforts and help you maintain a positive attitude.
3. Be mentally ready to take action on specified tasks. Plan your day depending on how you feel. If you have the most energy and are clear headed early in the morning, then obviously this is when you should aim to do your most difficult work and make the important decisions. If you regularly go to the gym, exercise at the same time during the week. Respect yourself for these choices and scheduled appointments and you will find your inner self will reward you with a clear head and great energy even at the times you are very busy.
4. Allocate time to accomplish tasks by setting specific "open for business" hours when people can contact you. It is a big misconception in society that because you JUST work from home you are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Avoid stressful interruptions by setting specific office hours when other people can contact you. Make sure people know what your opening hours are by placing them not only on your website but on your emails and also any voicemail greetings you have. This will avoid any embarrassment on your part when you have to tell people you aren't available and your customers will respect the guidelines you have set and appreciate your work times.
5. Recognize that this lifestyle takes much negotiating, planning and prioritizing. No matter how hard you try to keep them separate, your personal and business lives will mesh and, at times, collide. Do not immediately stress out when personal interruptions occur. Dealing with the interruption straight away and assessing its urgency will stop you worrying about it and allow you to then get back into your work. Then get back to your regular work schedule. It takes time to be able to quickly alternate between your personal and business personas and create a healthy balance between the two. It takes even more practice to be able to do this without stress and/or guilt.
You need to ensure you have the right mindset as an entrepreneur. No matter how many interruptions and distractions happen, you can and will succeed. Reward yourself each night by taking some quite time, calming your breath and rewarding yourself for achieving what you set out to that particular day. This will recharge your emotional batteries and prepare you for your next opportunity.
I have successfully coached many likeminded home based entrepreneurs to success with my high end home based business. Please visit me to learn about this wonderful opportunity and work with a great, motivated, energized team.
