How To Manage Your Time When You Work From Home - Staying Focused With A Home-Based Business!
Working from home and time management sometimes doesn't mix.
When you have a home-based business, you can often experience one distraction after another.
Some are avoidable and some not.
We're going to focus today on how to manage the time we do have.
The first thing you have to remember when you have a home-based business, is that there will be no one around to tell you what to do, when to do, and quite often no one even tells you how to do it.
And no one is going to tell you how to organize your time.
So how do you keep it all pulled together? Organize...
organize...
organize.
Everything happens "on purpose" when you work for yourself.
But if you take it seriously, choosing to work from home can become the best decision you've ever made.
So, here are the five most important tips that I've found extremely helpful.
1.
Minimize Your Distractions.
Things like email, instant messaging with friends (non-work related) and desk clutter can cause you to have an unproductive day.
I find it very helpful to "shut it down" while I'm trying to focus on my work.
Distractions can kill your home-work time more than anything else.
Turn it all off...
(including the TV) and treat it like you would any other 8 to 5 J.
O.
B.
2.
Plan in advance.
Don't leave your day to whatever you can come up with.
Lay it all out in advance...
ON PAPER...
so you'll know exactly what you need to accomplish for the day.
3.
Set your priorities.
Do you know exactly what you need to do to make sure that your business is successful? Write these things out in the order of importance, and then set your priorities for the day accordingly.
4.
Take a Break.
I know that this one might seem a little unproductive, but just like any other job; you need to give your mind a rest for a few minutes.
No...
not an hour or two but walk away and give your mind time to revitalize.
Take a real lunch hour; just don't forget to go back to work! 5.
Stay Focused.
If your family is home while you're working, let them know when your work hours are, and that they can't just barge in and take your time.
I know that many of us choose to work at home so that we can be there, especially for the kids.
But make sure that they understand that while you're working, you should only be disturbed if it's urgent.
I've found it helpful to set some time during the day for them.
They'll know that between 12:00 and 1:30, it's our time.
I won't let work interfere with their time, and they agree not to interfere with work time.
It's a very nice exchange.
Running a home-based business is very freeing, but if you're not making the money you need, it can be frustrating.
To avoid falling into that scenario...
the one of not making money, remember that when you "work from home" it's exactly that.
It's a workday.
Then, you'll enjoy it, you'll be productive, and EVERYBODY WINS! You can print out a downloadable form from my blog that can help you stay on point.
It really made a big difference in the way I approached my work-at-home day.
Staying on track when you work from home is not an option, but a necessity...
if you want success.
When you have a home-based business, you can often experience one distraction after another.
Some are avoidable and some not.
We're going to focus today on how to manage the time we do have.
The first thing you have to remember when you have a home-based business, is that there will be no one around to tell you what to do, when to do, and quite often no one even tells you how to do it.
And no one is going to tell you how to organize your time.
So how do you keep it all pulled together? Organize...
organize...
organize.
Everything happens "on purpose" when you work for yourself.
But if you take it seriously, choosing to work from home can become the best decision you've ever made.
So, here are the five most important tips that I've found extremely helpful.
1.
Minimize Your Distractions.
Things like email, instant messaging with friends (non-work related) and desk clutter can cause you to have an unproductive day.
I find it very helpful to "shut it down" while I'm trying to focus on my work.
Distractions can kill your home-work time more than anything else.
Turn it all off...
(including the TV) and treat it like you would any other 8 to 5 J.
O.
B.
2.
Plan in advance.
Don't leave your day to whatever you can come up with.
Lay it all out in advance...
ON PAPER...
so you'll know exactly what you need to accomplish for the day.
3.
Set your priorities.
Do you know exactly what you need to do to make sure that your business is successful? Write these things out in the order of importance, and then set your priorities for the day accordingly.
4.
Take a Break.
I know that this one might seem a little unproductive, but just like any other job; you need to give your mind a rest for a few minutes.
No...
not an hour or two but walk away and give your mind time to revitalize.
Take a real lunch hour; just don't forget to go back to work! 5.
Stay Focused.
If your family is home while you're working, let them know when your work hours are, and that they can't just barge in and take your time.
I know that many of us choose to work at home so that we can be there, especially for the kids.
But make sure that they understand that while you're working, you should only be disturbed if it's urgent.
I've found it helpful to set some time during the day for them.
They'll know that between 12:00 and 1:30, it's our time.
I won't let work interfere with their time, and they agree not to interfere with work time.
It's a very nice exchange.
Running a home-based business is very freeing, but if you're not making the money you need, it can be frustrating.
To avoid falling into that scenario...
the one of not making money, remember that when you "work from home" it's exactly that.
It's a workday.
Then, you'll enjoy it, you'll be productive, and EVERYBODY WINS! You can print out a downloadable form from my blog that can help you stay on point.
It really made a big difference in the way I approached my work-at-home day.
Staying on track when you work from home is not an option, but a necessity...
if you want success.
