Make the MOST of Working from Home:
One of the biggest hurdles home-based business owners face is avoiding those ever-present distractions. This is where it’s crucial to consider your office location and desk setup. Make sure you have a separate phone line for business calls. Resist the temptation to answer calls on your home line during your workday. Many people find that using today’s high-tech gadgets frees them up to be more mobile. And, after all, isn’t that really one of the best things about running your own home-based business? Having an “Outdoor Office”! A BlackBerry, iPhone or other mobile device maybe worth the investment if it unchains you from your desk and gets you out and about.
Set your Schedule:
One benefit of working from home is not having a boss telling you when to be in the office. There is some flexibility here, but to be successful in your business it is most important for you to set a schedule for yourself. If you’re a morning person, and like getting up at the crack of dawn, more power to you. If you’re a late starter and working into the early evening is more your thing, that’s fine too. Find what works best for you. The point is, just like you would at a regular office, you need to have set hours of operation at home. They can very and they will but for clients to take your seriously you need to be available at a time that is likely to suit your particular clients the best.
Another perspective is to limit the number of working hours in your day. The tendency may be to keep going, since there’s only a 30-second commute to the office. But eventually this may actually hinder your productivity, since it’s the quickest route to burnout. At a designated time each evening or afternoon (it can vary from day to day depending on how you’ve scheduled your day / week) shut off the computer, close the office door and walk away until the next business day.
For me, because I sit at the computer for so many hours per day, I always allow “exercise” time – very important for my health. For you, it may be allowing “children” time or “spouse” time. My exercise time can be anything from attending a gym class to walking on the beach or yoga or whatever I’ve planned to do that day.
In fact, I work my schedule for my business day around my exercise schedule and also around any business network meetings. So, if I know I’m going to attend a breakfast meeting than my work day, from my home office, will start later than if I’d planned on an evening gym or yoga class or network meeting.
That’s the beauty of working from home. If you have decided that you will work 6 hours per day on your business than those 6 hours can be worked over whatever time you allocate to them for that particular day. You may start at 10am and finish at 5pm (with 1 hr for lunch). Or you may start at 7am knowing you have something on that requires you to leave the house by mid-afternoon.
The most important thing is to create a schedule that works for you and for the success of your business and stick to it as religiously as you can.
Use Technology.
Let’s cover some of the basics. It’s important to have plenty of storage so you can easily locate and maintain client files. To facilitate quick and efficient client communication, a fax machine is a good idea. You’ll obviously need a reliable computer and high-speed Internet is almost a necessity to stay connected to the outside world. Although face-to-face communication is ideal, e-mail can help streamline your communications and keep you instantly in touch with key leaders and your expanding customer base.
Tackle the toughest tasks first.
The next step is to set realistic goals daily and do what it takes to achieve them. It’s not always going to be the easiest or most fun thing to do but you have to accomplish all aspects of your business to enjoy the success you crave. A good idea is to prioritize and then do what you dread first thing in the day, while your mind is still fresh. You may surprise yourself and complete the daunting task in record time, leaving ample time for the tasks you enjoy. Most of us tend to do the tasks we enjoy first and then find we struggle to complete the tasks we don’t enjoy doing.
Enjoy your freedom!
And last but certainly not least, make sure you budget time in you day to enjoy your freedom. Some of the primary benefits of working from home are the flexibility and improved quality of life you can enjoy. But you need to be diligent about allowing yourself the well deserved time off. When you’ve finished that big project, set aside time for an afternoon at the movies or even a few hours reading on the couch. And relax; this is your reward for a job well done.
