The ability to work from home is one of the biggest benefits of owning your own online business. It provides a rare opportunity for you to work where and when you want, entirely on your own terms. If you’ve ever dreamed of spending more time with your family, setting your own hours, or earning a comfortable living as you swing in a hammock out back and sip lemonade, then the work-from-home lifestyle may just be for you.
For the past year, I have been able to work from a home office while taking care of my one-year-old daughter. At times it can be difficult, but at the end of the day the rewards are rich. It’s amazing to be able to join in a dance party with my daughter, or snuggle with her as she falls asleep – then get right back to work. I also love being able to improve myself as I push the bounds of what I think is possible in my professional life.
One of the rewards of what I do is that I constantly get to meet other people who are using the education they get from DotCom Secrets University to build their own dream lifestyles. Many of these people have become skilled in managing their time effectively while working from a home office. These individuals have learned how to take the limited time and resources they have to achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves.
Making Your Home Office Work for You
While the benefits of a home office abound, it also presents some unique challenges. With a home office, you don’t necessarily clock in at eight and out at five. You also might have a variety of other things vying for your attention like kids, pets, roommates, friends and neighbors. And with no one to report to but yourself, it can be easier to procrastinate on your hardest tasks. Since you are your own boss, you have to keep yourself motivated despite these challenges. Follow these simple steps to set up your own home office and maximize your time as you build a thriving online empire:
Be Firm About Your Work Schedule: Other people may not understand that even though you work from home and set your own schedule, you can’t stop what you’re doing at any given time to be part of other activities. When these situations arise, politely tell the person that you have set aside a certain amount of time for work and ask if you can reschedule with them. If you give the impression that you take your work schedule seriously, others will naturally do the same.
Set Daily Goals for Yourself: Every morning before you start working, make a list of the things you need to get done. It’s also a good idea to keep a running list of extra tasks you can work on in those rare moments when you have some time to spare. This will help keep you focused and give you a way to measure how much you have accomplished. Plus, at the end of the day, it feels good to be able to physically mark off the tasks you’ve completed.
Set a Start and End Time for Yourself: It’s easy to start working from the moment you wake up until just before you turn in for the night when your commute is just a short walk down the hall. But working every waking moment will quickly leave you feeling drained. Create a schedule and try to stay as consistent as possible. Soon, it will become part of your routine and increase your resolve to continue working when other distractions arise.
Eliminate Distractions: If you were working for someone else, you wouldn’t check emails, make personal phone calls, or go shopping during work hours. That shouldn’t change just because you’re working for yourself. Set a schedule and don’t allow distractions to get the better of you. The hours you set aside for work should be solely for working. You’ll get much more done and be able to enjoy more free time later to do all the other things you want.
Find an Office Away From Your Home Office: As an at-home entrepreneur, it’s not always possible to work 100 percent free from distractions. Make sure you have a backup plan and someone you can call on for support when you feel overwhelmed. If you have kids at home, it’s a good idea to find a place you can go when you need to work for a few hours without interruption. That could mean sending the kids to grandma’s for a day, leasing office space away from the home or setting up play dates with other parents where you exchange babysitting.
Remember Your “Why”: Maintaining motivation when there’s no one there to give you a pat on the back for a job well done can be one of the most challenging aspects of working from home. On days when your energy is waning, give yourself a reminder by creating a vision board and posting it in a place where it’s visible from your desk. A vision board is a collage of images and phrases that inspire you and remind you of the reasons why you started your own business in the first place. It could be pictures that remind you of family fun time, the beach, your dream home… anything that speaks to your heart and reignites your passion.
Join Up With Allies: If you’re someone who thrives off of working with others, it can be a challenge to go solo. Get involved with groups of like-minded people in your local community so you can network and feed off of each other’s creativity. You can search for groups on Meetup.com or join in local volunteer efforts.
The Rewards of Working From Home
Once you get into the habit of doing these things, your home office can be a huge blessing. Here are just some of the benefits you will enjoy as you become master of your own time working from home:
Being There for Your Family: If you’re a parent, or plan to be soon, imagine being there every day to watch your kids grow up. As a work-from-home entrepreneur, you’ll be there to guide and teach them when they need you the most.
An Office Anywhere: The home office doesn’t have to be located in your home. If you have a laptop and a cell phone, it can travel with you to the backyard, the beach or the car while waiting to pick the kids up from soccer practice. This flexibility can help you maximize otherwise “dead time” and allows you to enjoy a refreshing change of scenery from time to time.
Traffic Free Commute: Having no commute can add an extra hour or more to your day. People who take a half hour commute each way, five days a week, end up burning 10 full days each year sitting in traffic! And many people commute two or three hours a day. The sad fact is, this is the reality for most people working in the corporate world. But as an internet entrepreneur taking full advantage of a work from home lifestyle, your commute can be a quick 30 second walk down the hall.
Time to Focus: Most people who work in a traditional office lose valuable time each day with “got-a-minute meetings” and chatty co-workers. With a home office, you can set your schedule to work for you and get more done in less time as you learn to minimize distractions.
Financial Perks: Depending on where you live, there are a variety of financial benefits to setting up shop in the spare bedroom. You’ll save on gas, eating out, avoid wear and tear to your car and may even be eligible for some extra tax breaks.
Unlimited Vacation Time: As your own boss, you don’t have to worry about keeping track of vacation days and sick leave. As long as you have a laptop, a phone and an internet connection, you can work anywhere.
Unlimited Income Potential: With the flexibility to work when and where you want, your income can be a direct reflection of how much you put into your business. There’s no waiting around for pay raises or bonuses – just you and your motivation to succeed.
So love your home office and the freedom it gives you! Remember that some days will be more productive than others, but as you set goals for yourself and tangibly track your progress, you’ll be able to make your home office work for you.
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