Launching a business from home can provide tremendous flexibility and
the kind of work-life balance that we all crave.
The reality is that home businesses bring their own set of challenges,
says Caroline Daniels, lecturer for entrepreneurship and technology at Babson
College in Massachusetts. For example, “doing your business on your own from
home can get stale. It’s hard to keep feeding the imagination all on your own.”
1.
Spending
Too Much Time at Home
Loneliness is the number one
complaint from people who work at home, says Anne Alexander, a small-business
coach in North Carolina. “Many people are not prepared for the isolated working
environment.”
While it may seem easier to do everything
virtually, that isn't the best approach. Instead, take time away from your home
office for face-to-face meetings that will help build your business. Plan lunch
dates, attend networking groups or work from coffee shops to build a social
element into your day, Alexander says
2.
Keeping a
24-7 Work Schedule
When Leon Oks co-founded iCanvasART,
an online seller of custom canvases, he and several employees spent day and
night working from his dining room. It’s a recipe for burnout. “You’re feeling
guilty that you’re not working, and there’s no disconnect,” Oks says.
Eventually, he asked employees to leave by 6 p.m.
and made sure to schedule free time into his day. But this year, he moved his
Illinois-based company to an office space because the growing business was
becoming difficult to manage at home.
3.
Allowing
Interruptions
Without a boss breathing down your
neck, it’s easy to take a phone call or two from family and friends. But when
you’re constantly in “interrupt mode,” it hurts your business focus, Daniels
says. To combat disruptions, she recommends setting aside blocks of quiet time
throughout the day when you don’t allow phone calls or email alerts.
You also need to be careful about getting pulled
too often into distracting chores like laundry or childcare. Remind family
members and babysitters of your work hours and explain you’ll be answering only
urgent requests.
4.
Depending
Too Much on Loved Ones
Without co-workers around, you can
easily fall into a habit of talking out your business problems with your spouse
or friends. But loved ones may get weary of talking about your business.
What’s more, they may not provide the best advice
because they don’t always understand your business, Alexander says. So, try to
connect with others in your field to develop an informal network of advisors.
“Build a mastermind group of others with home-based businesses,” Alexander
suggests.
5.
Failing
to Create a Separate Work Area
Even if you don’t live in a huge
home, set aside a space reserved almost entirely for work. Opt for a
little-used room or even an empty corner of your living area to create a
physical divide between work and home.
If you must work in a common area of the house like
the dining room or kitchen, put away personal objects to set a professional tone
for the day, Daniels says. “Even if you don’t have a separate space, you can
create it.”
6.
Letting
Employees Abuse Your Home
You risk damage to your home if you
don’t establish rules for how employees should behave there. For example, Oks
got stressed out over how his workers would eat lunch in his living room, walk
on his light-coloured carpet with their shoes on, and tack notes onto the
walls.
Instead of scolding employees later, it’s better to
set expectations from the get go, Oks says. “Set up rules you’re comfortable
with.” Oks began asking employees to take off their shoes and clean off their work space at the end of the day so he could use his dining room table each
evening.
7.
Getting
too Busy to Stay Organised
As work piles up, it’s easy to let
organisation slide, says Tata Harper, who started an eponymous skincare line at
her home in Vermont. “It is easy to succumb to dis-organisation when you are
working in the same place that you live since it is a private space that you
don’t often share with” coworkers or other visitors, she says.
Harper files papers away before they pile up and
stores only business-related items there. In addition, she finds that
decorating and brightly lighting her office motivates her to keep it clean.
8.
Starting
the Day Without a Plan
“Without conscious decisions about
how to spend your time, your day can slip away without much to show for it,”
says Elaine Quinn, Chicago-based author of There’s No Place Like Working
From Home (Calloran Publishing, July 2011).
Instead, give time to both short-term actions and
long-term goals so you run your business in a more balanced manner. Create a
schedule and stick to it. “Rather than making to-do lists, enter tasks directly
into your [daily] planner,” which allows you to set a specific deadline for
completing each task, Quinn says. Also, make sure you leave unscheduled time in
the day to deal with important but unexpected issues that crop up.
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