From day one, establishing your work at home business hours of operation are key to a successfully run enterprise. Your clients need to know when they will be able to reach you. Most importantly, you need "off time" established for your own peace of mind. You will not be doing anyone any favors by working overtime, stressing yourself to the max, and taking your workload "home". Making it a point to separate the office from your home life should be the first priority when they are in the same location.
Why you should charge for after hour calls:
Your time is valuable and you should be compensated for work no matter the hour. When you have made your hours of operation clear to your clients, it is reasonable to charge for after hour calls. Make certain your customers are aware that payment will be expected. It is an acceptable business practice to set your voice mail after business hours and follow up on these after hour calls first thing in the morning.
How to work efficiently during business hours:
If you have small children and your main reason for a home business is to be there for them, you will need to make adjustments. Try to carve out some measure of the day for work only, even if it means hiring a babysitter. If finding adequate room for your home office is a problem, think about converting a space in the garage, guest bedroom, or even a large walk in closet.
There should be an area of your home designated just for work. In the best-case scenario, your home office will have a door that preferably locks (deadbolts in some instances) and a do not disturb policy except for emergency only. Avoid placing your home office near distractions such as a big screen television with surround sound. A separate entrance would be ideal if you have clients that drop by.
Another of the easiest ways to get side tracked at work is by reading and replying to personal emails. Do not let yourself fall in the habit of chatting online or make the mistake of letting friends know you are "available". Your business should have a separate email account apart from your private email address.
A simple solution to becoming more efficient is by keeping separate communications. Use your cellular phone as the primary work line and do not give out your home phone number. If your business associates do have access to both numbers, install an answering machine or caller ID to avoid those hours' long conversations that can wait until tomorrow.
To make a successful home business you must be a self-motivator. Although curling up with your laptop and never leaving the bed may sound inviting, it is not going to get your business up and running! Stay focused on your goals. If you start to feel tired or bored, go outside for a change of scenery and take a walk in the fresh air.
Remember at the end of the day that you call the shots in establishing your work at home business hours of operation. Once you make this minor change to separate home from the office, you will notice the monumental effect it has on your ability to work efficiently. You will be able to leave work behind more easily when you close the office door and rejoin your family.
"Work is the yeast that raises the dough." ~ Portuguese saying
When you are working at home, one thing that you often forget to do is to take a break on a regular basis. Most on site jobs provide breaks to their employees, and when you are working at home, you need to take breaks as well. It's easy to think that you'll get more done if you just stay at your desk, but this is rarely the case. If you are not convinced that you really need these breaks, here are five different reasons that you need to take daily breaks while working at home.
Reason #1 - It's Good for Your Body - One great reason that you need to take breaks on a regular basis when you are working at home is because it is great for your body. When you sit there for many hours, it really can affect the body. The wrists can begin to ache, it can make your head and eyes hurt, and your shoulders, back, and neck can all get very tight. When you get up and take a break, you move around and give your body a bit of a break so it is not constantly sitting in one position.
Reason #2 - It Will Increase Your Creativity - Taking a break can also help to increase your creativity. Ever get to the point where you just can't figure out how to solve a problem or what you should do next on a project? You probably need to take a break. Often when you get away from the desk and go out and take a break, you're creativity will be enhanced and you'll probably figure out what you should do to solve that problem.
Reason #3 - You'll Be More Effective When you Get Back - When you are done taking your break, you will be more effective when you get back to the home office. Taking some time to relax for a few minutes really can increase your productivity. You are able to put out more effort and you'll get a whole lot more done when you take those breaks when working at home.
Reason #4 - The Job Won't Become Monotonous - Sometimes the job can become monotonous when you are working at it for hours. This means that you need to have a bit of time to recharge. Get up and take a 15 minute break. Just get away from work for a bit. When you come back you will have a whole new perspective and it will keep you from getting burned out easily.
Reason #5 - Reduce the Stress of the Job - Working at home, although it has many benefits, definitely comes with stress of its own. Taking those breaks during the day can help you to reduce the stress of the job. When you are working hard without a break, that stress can build up and you can become frustrated. Taking the breaks during the day will help you to deal with the stress so you don't end the day feeling stressed out.
posted by Chris Simpson
1 Comment »
Tuesday, March 17th 2009
When you work at home, there are many great benefits. However, staying fit is not so easy when you work out of your own home. It's very easy to spend a lot of time working at your computer and often you just don't find the time to get the exercise that you need.
The great thing is staying fit doesn't have to mean that you go out to the gym. There are a variety of things that can be done at home to keep your-self in shape. Here's a look at five ways that you can keep fit, even while working from your home.
#1 - Take a Few Minutes for Quick Exercises - One way that you can keep fit when you work at home is to take a few minutes here and there for some quick exercises. Every hour take about five minutes of time. Get out of your chair and then do five minutes of quick exercises. Easy ones to do at home include push ups, sit ups, and even squats. They can all be done quickly in your home office, and they'll give you a break and keep you fit.
#2 - Use Workout Videos - Another great way to stay fit at home is to use workout videos for a great workout. You'll find that there are many wonderful videos out there that are fairly inexpensive and that will give you a great workout in about 15 minutes. Plan in 30 minutes of time, pop in the DVD or video, and then spend some time working out with the video.
#3 - Go Out for a Walk and a Break - Take a break from work and go outside for a nice walk. This is a great way to clear your mind of work-related stress, to get out of the house, and to get your exercise as well. A 20-30 minute walk will clear your head, get your blood pumping, and you'll be ready to be productive at work when you come back.
#4 - Do Simple Home Activities that Burn Calories - There are many simple home activities that can help you to burn calories as well, keeping you fit at home. Turn up the music and start vacuuming your home. This really burns off the calories. Start a garden and do some gardening. If you are really desperate, get out the canned goods and use them as weights for burning off calories and building up some muscles.
#5 - Buy Some Home Gym Equipment to Use - Getting some home gym equipment may be a great idea as well if you are working at home. Going out to the gym is probably not something you can take the time for or it might not fit into your budget just yet. So, why not bring part of the gym to your home. There are many great home gyms and individual pieces of equipment that you can purchase that will be well worth what you pay if they help you stay fit.
posted by Chris Simpson
No Comments »
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