There are many benefits to working at home. No boss to answer to, no alarm clock waking you in the wee hours of the morning, no traffic or outrageous gas prices to deal with. You can make your own schedule to accommodate your family (a huge benefit if you have small children), your hobbies and any other commitments you may have.
These benefits come with some drawbacks as well. It is very important and essential to your success, that you keep focused and productive while maintaining a happy home environment. When working at home, you lose the structure of a “work environment”. Following, are some tips to help you achieve this.
1. Office Space. You will need some place to “set up shop” in your home. This can be anything from a spare room or a table set up in the basement to a corner of the kitchen table. Once you find a spot, it should be stocked with whatever you need to do your work and stay organized. You may also want to hang a diploma or name plate. Do whatever is needed to make this a professional looking work space.
Once this is achieved, everyone in the home should know and respect this as your office. Make it known that it is off-limits during your working hours.
2. Scheduling. Decide your working hours. This should include your break times as well as lunch time. If you have small children, it may be best for you to work when your children are at school. Other’s find they do their best work early in the morning or late at night. Find out what time of the day you are most productive. Once you determine this, stick to it. It is vital to your success to be consistent.
You can also break down your day as to when you will answer emails, make phone calls, work on advertising, etc. Also, make note of any priority tasks. It might be advisable to keep a note board near your work space where you can write down any tasks that need your attention. You are your boss as well as your employee. So you will have to answer to yourself when things don’t go right.
3. Stay Energized and Motivated. Anyone can get discouraged by setbacks. Since you have no co-workers to talk with when setbacks occur, you have no way to vent. A great way to deal with this is to join an online network or forum of home based workers. This is a great way to bounce around ideas and concerns you may have. If needed, on a nice day, move your office outside or go to lunch with friends. Flexibility is a key benefit to being your own boss. Do whatever it takes to get you motivated and back on track.
4. Dress for Success. Yes, it is nice to be able to sit in your P.J.’s with your hair undone wearing your fuzzy slippers. However, this could make you feel less like a business person. You might feel as if you have a day off instead of a day at work. You don’t necessarily have to wear a suit or dress, but you should wear something that puts you in a professional frame of mind. This frame of mind will influence the tone of your voice while on the phone as well as any email correspondence.
5. Know When to Say When. Mastering all of the above is a great accomplishment. Well done! Now, you must learn when to call it a day. When working at home it is easy to keep going whenever you can. This will not only cut into your personal time but also your family time. Make sure to set limits so you can enjoy life!

Lori Gorman
President, www.myebizplace.com