One of the first concerns I had to cope with in running my business from home is managing my work day. It is difficult to run a business from home without letting all the concerns, the clutter and the fixations of work overrun my personal life. I have to take extra care not to allow work to spill over into my home life, as well as, to not let home activities slow down my work.
Creating a work environment in the home surrounded by all the distractions — the kids wanting to play with you when there’s a deadline to meet, the need to answer the ringing of the door bell or the home phone in between brainstorming, getting the daily household tasks done even with a jam-packed work day, the temptation to put off work to read that book you’ve been meaning to get to — is an action item that I think any home business owner must arrange first if the home business is to be expected to succeed in the long run.
Running a successful home business and managing a healthy home environment is greatly reliant on a reasonable work-life balance mindset. Both are a priority, maybe the balance can be achieved simply by arranging tasks within a workable schedule, but sometimes it will also call for you to make choices and sacrifices. Which situation takes precedence over the other situations in your life is a challenge that needs to be balanced.
It takes a great deal of discipline to keep the work life-home life balance. The key for me is keeping my home/family life separate from the business by setting up physical and mental limitations for each area. These tips help me turn the work-home life switch on or off as needed:
Designate a workstation within the home
A space exclusively for work keeps me focused on just work. A dedicated home office keeps my concentration on issues about the business. Make sure to create a workspace that stimulates enthusiasm and inspires thoughts/ideas to boost work output. Set up your computer, lighting and sitting fixtures correctly to help in proper posture. Keep all the other tools and work materials within easy reach so that your thought process is uninterrupted and enthusiasm is not stalled.
Follow a regular daily work schedule
This sets my body clock into a routine. During work days I automatically wake up, accomplish all the household/personal tasks as planned and then go into work mode at the set hours. On weekends, my body & mind also knows I can sleep late. To control overworking, and make myself available for family/friends, I make it a point to be in my workspace in the hours I’ve set for work and leave the workspace when work hours are up.
Treat your home business like a real job
Working from home is a real job. It is important to make this clear to yourself, your family/relatives, your friends/neighbors, even your clients and business partners right from the start so that it is treated as such. Inform them of your work schedule and help them adhere to it when they attempt to distract you. When a child asks that you watch TV with him/her, explain why you cannot. When a friend calls within work hours just to chitchat, hold him/her off. Also, when a client demands your time on a weekend discourage it discreetly by clarifying your business hours.
Balancing work and home life may be hard, especially in the starting stages of a home business. The upshot, however, is so worth it sooner or later — an established business that brings in the money and loads of free time to spend for family and friends.
