When you work from home, it's a challenge to stay focused, work your own set business hours and be able to get enough business to stay up and running.
Regardless of what your business is, working from home still requires the discipline and planning that a full-time outside job or business would.
When you run your business at home, it's hard to maintain separation between home life and business obligations- it's very common for friends and family to take for granted the fact that you have "time" for visitors, "fun" and other things when you are at home all day- most won't recongnize the fact that you have a job to do or a business to run.
It takes a lot of strength to be firm with family and friends, and it can become a "bad scene" if your family doesn't seem to understand that you ARE indeed working, even though it is from your home.
This is why it's a good idea to have a separate area in the house to run your business from, and make sure that area is "off-limits" to others- children, spouses, other family members, relatives and friends.
If they see that you are serious about maintaining your business separately, this helps make it easier on YOU to tell them what your business or working hours are.
Running your business at home can be a bit more challenging than outside your home, but it can be done.
Make sure you have set "business" or "work" hours for yourself, only subject to change if/when you decide you can make the adjustment- don't let anyone take advantage of you or the fact that you are "always" home.
Stay organized.
Keep everything pertaining to your business or work in one location, paperwork in it's proper place, tools/supplies in their proper place, and keep a schedule planner by ALL of your phones in your home.
Keep a travel planner/organizer to keep in your vehicle.
There is one caveat to keeping scheduling and organizer books around, you'll need to make sure to keep all appointments and times in ALL of those books.
Or, go digital and buy an electronic organizer.
Staying organized is the biggest key to running your business at home- it's also wise if you have an actual business location too.
Organization is the key to success! Make sure your home is neat and tidy if you intend on having clients, customers or any other business-related contacts in your home.
If, for example, you are an interior decorator, then it's a good idea to make sure you keep your home neat, clean and well-decorated.
If you have children, make sure you have child-care for them during your business hours, even if it's a babysitter that comes to your home.
Nothing will say unprofessional like having a dirty, overly cluttered house and children running loose all over the house! Beware of your surroundings and the image you are projecting to potential clients, customers or other business contacts.
When you run your business at home, your home has become a reflection of your business and your professional abilities.
Regardless of what your business is, working from home still requires the discipline and planning that a full-time outside job or business would.
When you run your business at home, it's hard to maintain separation between home life and business obligations- it's very common for friends and family to take for granted the fact that you have "time" for visitors, "fun" and other things when you are at home all day- most won't recongnize the fact that you have a job to do or a business to run.
It takes a lot of strength to be firm with family and friends, and it can become a "bad scene" if your family doesn't seem to understand that you ARE indeed working, even though it is from your home.
This is why it's a good idea to have a separate area in the house to run your business from, and make sure that area is "off-limits" to others- children, spouses, other family members, relatives and friends.
If they see that you are serious about maintaining your business separately, this helps make it easier on YOU to tell them what your business or working hours are.
Running your business at home can be a bit more challenging than outside your home, but it can be done.
Make sure you have set "business" or "work" hours for yourself, only subject to change if/when you decide you can make the adjustment- don't let anyone take advantage of you or the fact that you are "always" home.
Stay organized.
Keep everything pertaining to your business or work in one location, paperwork in it's proper place, tools/supplies in their proper place, and keep a schedule planner by ALL of your phones in your home.
Keep a travel planner/organizer to keep in your vehicle.
There is one caveat to keeping scheduling and organizer books around, you'll need to make sure to keep all appointments and times in ALL of those books.
Or, go digital and buy an electronic organizer.
Staying organized is the biggest key to running your business at home- it's also wise if you have an actual business location too.
Organization is the key to success! Make sure your home is neat and tidy if you intend on having clients, customers or any other business-related contacts in your home.
If, for example, you are an interior decorator, then it's a good idea to make sure you keep your home neat, clean and well-decorated.
If you have children, make sure you have child-care for them during your business hours, even if it's a babysitter that comes to your home.
Nothing will say unprofessional like having a dirty, overly cluttered house and children running loose all over the house! Beware of your surroundings and the image you are projecting to potential clients, customers or other business contacts.
When you run your business at home, your home has become a reflection of your business and your professional abilities.
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