Do you want to be self employed or do you want to be a business owner? Yes, there is a difference.
Working from home is such a fun idea! You can wear what you want, you can sleep in, you will have more time for friends and family, heck you can even pull a sicky, head to the beach and not worry about someone catching you!
You want this to be a successful business don’t you? In order for your customers and clients to take you seriously, you need to take your business seriously too. The earlier you implement the following habits and tips to run a business efficiently, the sooner you can reap the rewards.
WORK HOURS
- Define your work hours and stick to them!
- Treat your business like you are employed by someone else who IS ALWAYS WATCHING!
- Use lunch breaks to catch up on your own personal Facebook feed.
- Don’t let friends and family pop around within “Work Hours”
Organisation
- Research all of your obligations from the very beginning. Having systems and software in place will save you time in the long run.
- Schedule everything. Include work time, free time, lunch breaks, family time,
- Schedule 3-4 tasks per day. Use spare time to get ahead or catch up.
- Write lists and prioritise. Update as needed and use it to motivate you to clear it each day.
- Schedule an hour each week to spend time planning the week ahead.
- Delegate where you can. Friends and family will support you if they wish you to be successful.
- Set longer deadlines where possible. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
- Check emails daily but schedule time each week to catch up on the less important ones.
- Have snacks on hand. Avoid having to leave your desk for a quick distraction.
- Schedule personal appointments outside of your working hours.
Surroundings
- Your work space needs to be separate from the main space in the house. A spare bedroom, outside shed or sleep out is a good idea.
- Keep your work space tidy, even if this means scheduling time each week to get it done.
- Keep your short and long terms goals in sight of your main work space. Use these goals to remind you why you are doing this!
- Dress accordingly. If you do office work, wear office attire. Sure, your pyjamas may be the most comfortable thing you own but they aren’t made for motivation.
- One day a week, change your scenery. It could be the out on your deck, the local gardens, a café or library. Just get away from your everyday work space.
Do you have any other tips for working from home? What works for you?
For tips on starting a home business, please read So, You Want to be Self-employed?
For tips on starting a home business, please read So, You Want to be Self-employed?