So you want to work from home? It can one of the most challenging aspects of running a small business by and for yourself.
So here’s some great tips to stop you climbing the walls with despair when you work alone, and at home:
Cocooning
This is the trendy name for people who work from home, socialising less and retreating into their home more. Feeling cut off, missing friends and unable to brainstorm with someone? Here’s some tips to stop you being shut off from the outside world:
Set up a monthly dinner for other business owners in your area, join a business drinks meet-up and socialise rather than network.
Subscribe to networking newsletters and join web forums such as LinkedIn or Flying Solo.
Appoint a mentor for advising, motivation and accountability.
Set aside an hour a week with a friend who is also in small business. This will make up for the lack of friendship and brainstorming activity.
Join a local business association to network and share your expertise as a way of giving back to the community. This connection fills that void of working in an office.
Be disciplined
Many of our clients struggle with the discipline of working alone, no accountability and the lack of a system. So we have a solution: Coworking Space.
You don’t have to feel guilty about working at a coworking space. Just plug in your laptop and take calls. It’s better than spending a small fortune in cafes to conduct an eight-hour day from one of their tables.
Make sure working from home isn’t 40 hours in front of a screen. It pays to be firm about the hours you work each week. If you have too much work, it may pay to hire a part-time worker to do some basic tasks and free you up to work on your business.
Me time
You need breaks. So dedicate ‘Me time’ – time to take a breather without interruption, where you can clear your head and let inspiration flood your thinking. So you can get back to work with positive energy, purpose and motivation. Me time could be 30-60 minutes a day or several a week. It will do you the world of good.
Work or leisure?
Clarify a clear distinction between work and leisure. Reward yourself by going to the gym, or anything else that makes you happy. We meet many business owners who forget this aspect and work like a donkey.
Make sure it’s for YOU
Working by yourself, running your own show is not for everyone. We’ve seen many friends and some clients work from home and become isolated. Many return to the security of a regular job and a salary. Working at home, you have to be focused and love what you do. Understand your desire passion and purpose. It takes a lot of dedication, self-control and discipline to motivate yourself to persevere in working at home without distractions and losing drive and momentum. Make sure you work away from home a few hours or days a week. The key is knowing what to expect, what you want, understanding how to get it and ultimately: WHY.
