Starting any business is rich with excitement and anxiety. This is especially true when stepping into a home based business. All the questions about doing everything right and if I’ll be successful are in every business owners mind when first starting up. The big difference between a home based business startup and a regular or more “formal” business startup is the comfort level in your own home can work against you actually getting anything done.
Going into a store or an office focuses attention on the things that need to be done that day. Many typically have those “to-do” lists that outline the goals and objectives of the day. In a home based business however, it’s easy to fall into the trap of not separating the business or work part of your life and the home and family part. The sofa or chair where you watch television is right in the other room, almost calling for you to take yet another break. Then there’s the refrigerator and snack cabinet.
Running a home based business, especially a startup, demands a certain discipline that works best if you compartmentalize your day. Work during times when you’ve decided to work and be “home” when you’ve decided to be home. If you set up a schedule that has you working in your home office from 8 am to noon, be at your desk working during those hours.
Don’t fall into the temptation to visit with the family or walk the dog during business or work time. Stay focused. One of the biggest problems with any home based business or working from home is having the flexibility to make changes in your work schedule. When first starting out in your own home business, stay as formal as possible. Keep business hours, or at least stay as close to the schedule you’ve set as possible. The reason for this is to set patterns in your own personal behavior that allow for the maximum potential for the business success.
Later, you can relax a bit and add a little flexibility to the schedule. The key to a successful business no matter if it’s a retail store, a technology related business, home based, office or is retail based, is always the same. WORK! Home based businesses don’t mean that there’s less work. It means the business can be operated out of your home. The WORK part still is critical to your success. We’re almost all seen how the corporate world wastes time in endless meetings. In a small business, we too can fall into patterns that keep us from doing the most important thing to assure success, and that’s work. In any home based business, stay focused, develop a schedule, and stay on track to a bright future in your own business!
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