If you have decided to work from your home, you probably enjoy the commute. I know I do. It has been a pleasure for me for the past 30 years to work out of my home office. Aside from the commute, though, you will quickly find out some of the pitfalls of working at home.
There are many distractions. The most common are family, friends and pets.
When you are physically around your house, even if you are busy, family members will assume you are available to them.
It will be a temptation for you to offer to baby-sit for just a few minutes while your spouse runs to the store to pick up a few things. It will be right at that time that an important client will call. When the phone rings, your 5-year-old will want to answer it; and because you need to talk quietly, the child will cry for attention and the dog will bark because the mailman is knocking at the door! That’s what happens, especially when you don’t want it to.
These distractions I’ve mentioned are very common for people working out of their homes. Indeed they, or similar, have happened to me, too, especially when I first started out.
To help set some boundaries early on in your new home office/home relationship it is best to have your own private space, no matter how small. You need to have a door to close, preferably with a sign to let people know when you are at work.
You must assign yourself regular working hours and make it clear to your family that you need that time for work and that you will need their full cooperation. It may take a little while to get everyone on board, but it will help you. Then stick to your schedule within reason. Of course, you need to be flexible at times.
Another practice I think is helpful for the at-home entrepreneur is to dress for the “office.” You don’t need to wear a suit every day; your dress can be casual, but if you do dress each day before going to your office it will help you get in the right frame of mind to do business.
In the product development field it is helpful at times to use family members as focus group participants or as “test dummies.” My daughter has helped me many times by testing products, offering suggestions, running focus groups and marketing. My sons helped me run some of the companies I started around products I have invented such as “Masonware,” the first microwave cookware to be marketed.
I suggest that if you do need family members to help you in any capacity, that you hire them and pay them accordingly. Having your family members on the payroll will keep the “business” tone you have set.
You must be disciplined to work at home. As an entrepreneur you are a hard worker and have probably always given 110 percent for the companies you have worked for in the past. Keep up the hard work when you work at home for yourself!
Article – Copyright 2001 Stanley I. Mason. Syndicated by Paradigm News, Inc.
