- Do you work all day but feel like you got nothing accomplished?
- Do you want to start a home-based but do not know where to start?
- What are some of the common mistakes that people make in a home-based business?
MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN STARTING A HOME-BASED BUSINESS
Launching a business from home can provide fantastic flexibility and the kind of work-life balance everyone wants. But there are challenges.
Here are eight mistakes to avoid when starting a business from home:
Spending Too Much Time at Home: Loneliness is the number one complaint from people who work at home. You end up in an isolated environment. If your home-based business requires you to develop relationships with people, you cannot do that just sitting at home. While it may seem easier to do everything virtually, that isn’t the always going to work. Instead, take time away from your home office for face-to-face meetings that will help build your business. Plan lunch dates, attend networking groups or work from coffee shops to build a social element into your day.
Keeping a 24-7 Work Schedule: You will burnout. You will feel guilty when you are working and not with your family; you will feel guilty when you are with your family when there is work to be done. Make sure you set defined work hours. When you are just starting and trying build your business, those hours might be linger. But even then, at some point, you have to be able to shut it down.
Allowing Interruptions: Without a boss breathing down your neck, it’s easy to take a phone call or two from family and friends. But when you’re constantly in “interrupt mode,” it hurts your business focus. To avoid this, set aside blocks of quiet time throughout the day when you don’t allow phone calls or email alerts. You also need to be careful about getting pulled too often into distracting chores like laundry or childcare. Remind family members and babysitters of your work hours and explain you’ll be answering only urgent requests.
Depending Too Much on Loved Ones: You can easily fall into a habit of talking out your business problems with your spouse or friends. But loved ones may get tired of talking about your business. Also, they may not provide the best advice because they don’t always understand your business. Try to connect with others in your field to develop an informal network of your peers.
Failing to Create a Separate Work Area: Even if you don’t live in a huge home, set aside a space reserved almost entirely for work. Try a little-used room or even an empty corner of your living room or bedroom to create a physical divide between work and home. If you must work in a common area of the house like the dining room or kitchen, put away personal objects to set a professional tone for the day. If you do not have a separate space, create one.
Getting too Busy to Stay Organized: As work piles up, it’s easy to let organization slide. Develop a routine system. File papers away before they pile up and stores only business-related items there. In addition, try decorating and brightly lighting your office space to motivate you to keep it clean.
Starting the Day Without a Plan: Without a plan or a to-do list, you run the risk of wasting time on tasks that are not a priority. Schedule both short-term actions and long-term goals so you run your business in a more balanced manner. Create a schedule and stick to it. Also, make sure you leave unscheduled time in the day to deal with important but unexpected issues that crop up.