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Posted: 2005-09-27 / Author: Mike Law
6 Easy Steps To Separating Your Personal Life From Your BusinessIf you work from home, chances are you already know that you're
really pulling "double duty". You probably work on your business
while doing the laundry, corralling the kids, or fixing dinner...
and let's not forget all the phone calls from family and friends
expecting you to run errands or just "go out" for an afternoon of
fun.
One of the hardest parts of running a home business is separating
your work from your family and social life. Here are six proven
ways to keep your home life running smoothly while keeping your
business on track.
1. First, create a work schedule and stick with it. It may be
tempting to answer personal calls during the day or take business
calls after-hours, but doing this actually shows that you're
expendable - not dependable - and people will take for granted
that you'll "always be there" for any little things that come up.
Even though family comes first, stay true to your business hours
and resist the urge to chat with friends or pick up groceries
during working hours.
2. Your friends may consider "working from home" an invitation to
chat during the day or just go out for coffee or shopping for an
afternoon. Make it clear that your business hours are just that -
for business. Leave personal calls for after-hours, and you'll
find that your friends will gradually accept your schedule
without feeling slighted.
3. Just because you have to set up a work schedule, doesn't mean
that you have to keep the same hours as everyone else. One of the
benefits of working for yourself is setting your own hours to fit
your most productive times. Whether you're an early bird or a
night owl, you'll find that you'll get much more done when you're
attuned to your body's own natural rhythms. Some people work in
the morning, take a break in the afternoon when the kids are home
from school, and work again in the evening. Schedule your work
time when you feel the most productive and you'll find that
things get done easier, faster and better than when you were
dragging along during those same rigid work hours that everyone
else has.
4. If getting after-hours business calls or work day personal
calls is a problem, it helps to have a separate business phone
line, or at least an answering machine or voice mail, to take the
incoming calls. This also gives your business a more professional
appearance to clients than if you and your family make and
receive calls from the same phone line.
5. If at all possible, try to separate your "home office" from
the rest of your home. If you don't have the luxury of a separate
room, a room partition or screen can be just as helpful. This
also serves as a visual cue to family that you're working and
shouldn't be bothered.
6. Dress and act professionally while working. Some people find
it helpful to dress in casual business attire during their
working hours. This reinforces that just because you're working
from home doesn't make you any less of a professional. Answer the
phone with your name, or business name, and keep your children
off the phone during business hours. Also, spend money investing
in the tools you need to do your job right. A cell phone, fax
machine or even a budget computer can help turn your home office
into a true workspace.
If you follow all of these tips and stick with them, chances are
you'll find a routine that not only makes you feel productive and
active in your business, but also projects the message that you
mean business - literally!
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Mike Law is CEO of http://WealthOnTap.com a company which
mentors people on making a living on the internet.
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