Working life from home is difficult, but running a business from home can seem impossible without the right approach. While there are certainly advantages of running a business from home, there are also disadvantages.
In order to maintain a successful work-life balance, here are some of the steps that you can take to develop productive habits:
1. Create a Dedicated Workspace
One of the best habits of productive people involves creating a dedicated workspace. Ideally, this workplace would be a separate area with a door that can be closed and is free of laundry and clutter (so NOT your bedroom). If that kind of setup is not possible, try to find a quiet corner where you can set up your workspace.
Within your workspace, you will need an adequate-sized desk, a comfy office chair, and a desk lamp at a minimum. Add in any office supplies that you need like pens, paper, sticky notes, folders, etc.
Finally, you should add aesthetically appealing accessories to your office space like plants, artwork, and pictures.
2. Set and Stick to a Schedule
The next productivity hack will help increase productivity while running a business from home. It involves setting and sticking to a schedule. At-home business owners are at risk of overworking themselves since they have the ability to work constantly. However, just because you have the ability doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily a good idea.
Instead, you should set a normal work schedule and then stick to it. If the best time to get your work done is from nine to five, then make that your schedule. If you find that you work better on a morning routine, then you can start earlier and also end earlier. Just make sure that your schedule works for you so that you’re more likely to stick to it.
You should also make sure to take minute breaks throughout the day. Set a timer to remind you when to take a break to grab a cup of coffee or other type of caffeine. You can try the pomodoro technique or time blocking: Focused work for a 25 minute block of time on one task, then a five-minute break. After four of those sessions, take a longer 15-30 minute break.
Also, try to avoid interruptions from family members or playing on Facebook and Twitter.
3. Set Your Boundaries
Another thing that you need to do to run your business from home effectively is to set your boundaries with others in the household. Let other family members know what your work schedule is and make it clear to them that those are work hours. This is especially important (and difficult) if you have young children who are also at home.
4. Plan Ahead and Make a List
In order to maximize your time and productivity while running a business from home, you should consistently plan ahead by making lists of things that you need to do. One great way to do this is to use the last five to ten minutes of your workday to create a list of the things that you need to get done the next day. This approach allows you to jump right into your tasks the next morning for a productive start that will hopefully set the tone for the rest of the day.
5. Get Dressed and Ready for the Day
If you’re working from home, it may be tempting to get up and immediately start working in your pajamas simply. However, this may not be the most effective approach. Instead, you should try getting dressed and ready for the day to make you feel like a legitimate business owner.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to dress business professional in a suit and tie every day, but you should definitely put on some decent-looking clothes to really dress the part.
6. Switch Up Your Routine When Needed
While it’s important to have a schedule and a routine when running a business from home, you shouldn’t be afraid to switch it up when needed. Sometimes doing the same thing at the same time every day can get monotonous and boring.
So instead of being bored and unproductive as a result, make some simple changes to your routine to make things more interesting while you’re working from home.
7. Eliminate Potential Distractions
Distractions can be productivity killers when you’re running a business from home. As a result, you need to eliminate any potential distractions before they even have the chance to affect your productivity levels.
Some people are distracted by noises and work better with headphones in. Others are distracted by constant notifications on their phones from emails, texts, or social media and work better on silent mode. So learn what your personal distractions are and then take the necessary steps to eliminate them.
Also, try to avoid multitasking or frequent task switching. You may think you’re good as this, but you’ll find it may eat up valuable productivity in the long run.
8. Invest in the Right Technology
Technology issues can also be productivity killers. There’s nothing worse than an internet outage during a busy day in the home office. As a result, you need to invest in the right technology that will help you be as productive as possible.
Perhaps this means getting a newer and faster computer or investing in a better internet service. Or perhaps this means getting a business phone so that you can separate your business and personal affairs.
9. Get Out of the House
Just because you’re running your business from home doesn’t mean you necessarily need to be stuck in the house all day, every day. Such an environment can quickly become boring and uninspiring. Instead, take time to get out of the house when you’re feeling stuck.
If you still need to get work done, go with a change of scenery and take your laptop to a local coffee shop. If you have time to spare, take a quick walk around the block. Don’t underestimate the effects that these simple changes can have on your productivity levels.
10. Take Time Off
If you’re completely drained to the point where a walk around the neighborhood isn’t going to fix anything, then you should consider taking time off. Business owners are notorious workaholics who have trouble stepping away from the business or even getting enough sleep.
However, doing so is important for your sanity and your productivity. So feel free to take time off every once in a while. You don’t necessarily need to take a big and fancy vacation to feel refreshed and revitalized. Take a few hours off a week to do important household chores or important projects outside of work.
11. Be Social
Running a business from home can be pretty isolating if you’re a one-person show doing everything on your own. For this reason, it’s important to get out of the house and be social whenever you can.
Take meetings in-person or if that’s not possible, set up video calls for a more personal approach. Meet up with friends or spend time with family outside the house to better connect with the outside world.
12. Take Advantage of Your Extra Time
One of the biggest advantages of running a business from home is that it leaves you with a ton of extra time that you wouldn’t otherwise have. However, many business owners don’t take proper advantage of the time that they’re saving from working from home.
For instance, you could take a power nap at lunchtime. You could also meal prep or get some cleaning done at lunchtime. Getting these tasks done when you can helps you better focus on work later on.
Final Thoughts on Running a Business From Home
At the end of the day, you are responsible for your own productivity and business success while at home. It can be difficult to remain productive throughout the day, but you can make it happen with diligence and patience. For more tips on how to run a successful business, check out our blog.
Sources:
Establishing Your Home Workspace | Entrepreneur
How to Set a Work at Home Schedule | Chron
6 Easy Ways to Overcome Work From Home Distractions | Forbes
