Gotta admit, I was reluctant to write this post.
As a mother of three, I can’t deny that while running a small online business from home can have its advantages…there are certainly plenty of disadvantages too.
Sure, it’s nice being able to check morning emails in your comfy jammies with coffee cup in hand. You can work at your own pace and if you’re really organized, get household chores done in between. This way you’re all caught up when the weekend comes.
However, there are also downsides to working from home.
For one; the interruptions…a constant barrage of them, in fact. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been deep in concentration on a project only to have one of my kids bop in to ask me something they already know the answer to. Or the endless emails and phone calls that seem to come in the minute I sit down to do some work. These interruptions may sound small but it doesn’t take more than a few to put a dent in your schedule.
Don’t despair, however…there’s an art to having a successful at home business and it starts with a commitment on your part.
I’m currently working on a small program to help those wanting to start a small online business selling design goods. In this program I will talk in more detail as to how to make it as easy as possible. In the meantime, I’ll give you some tips below.
Set up your own in-home ‘office’ – I put office in quotes because I want to stress that your works space does not have to be a special room dedicated to your office. I mean, if you are fortunate enough to have that…great! However, most people starting out don’t and that’s OK. What I do recommend is you make an area that is solely your office space. It can be a corner of your bedroom, or an area in your basement…wherever you can fit a desk, chair and spot to file items.
Also, decorate the space in a way that you actually enjoy working there. It doesn’t matter if the style doesn’t match the rest of the room, just make it pleasing to you. For me, I have a tiny corner in my room that houses a desk, printer and some cabinets. I designed the area with boho decor. It’s small but sits in front of a big window where the light is always coming in. It’s my little space, and I make sure everyone knows it too.
Talk to your family – Sit them down and tell them you’re desire to start an online business from home. Explain that while you will not slack off on your own family duties, you will need them to respect your time when you are working. You’ll probably have to have this talk a few times at first. That’s OK…eventually everyone will get used to it. You can even go as far as putting a schedule up on the fridge; times when you will be working and not to interrupt unless it’s important.
Put a daily schedule together for yourself – Have a daily schedule that you stick to. It can include anything you need to do during the day from getting the kids off to school to doing laundry or running errands. Be sure to include your work time in there as well. Then have a second schedule that you keep that breaks your work needs down in more detail. This may change, depending on the day but it should break down to: emails, projects, social media, marketing, blogging, etc. They call this ‘time blocking’. It will help keep you organized and on track.
Know when to invest and what to invest in – There’s a saying ‘you have to spend money to make money’. Now that isn’t always the case but in general it is. You don’t have to spend a ton of money but you will have to invest something. Once you have some idea as to what you’ll be doing, you can research and see what hardware/software and subscriptions you’ll need to purchase. Put a budget together and get the things you need most, first. Leave the rest for when you start making some money. I say this because having a budget down will help you stay focused and not get overwhelmed.
Be fair to yourself – Having an online business where you’ll be working from home is a new endeavor for most…so go easy on yourself. Don’t have big expectations right off the bat. Set goals but more importantly, stick to routine. You’ll find that repetition breeds results.
I’ve got a lot more to say on this and as I mentioned earlier, I will be putting a program kit together to help others in their own journey. In meantime, just remember whatever you do, don’t be too hard on yourself. Stay committed, focused and most of all…have fun!
More to come…stay tuned!
Until next time…
