10 Tips For The At Home Entrepreneur

Being an 'At Home Entrepreneur' can often turn into a balancing act.  The duties of work and home begin to overlap, and often one can take over.  Many entrepreneurs decide to work at home to spend more time with their families, but end up dedicating even more time to work.  Here are a few tips to help you juggle.

1. Get organized. Figure out what your goals and priorities are, in your business and in your personal life, then figure out how to achieve them.  Put your house, office, and other life demands into separate categories, then allocate appropriate tasks into each category. Having a clear picture of what you need to do in each area can help eliminate overwhelm.

2. Create Lists. Once you have your plans and goals, make to-do lists.  Have a Master list and then a daily list. Organize your list by priority. What 3 things could you do today that would make the most impact. If something doesn’t get done today, carry it over to the next day.

3. Mix it up. If you are focusing on achieving a specific task, but feel your concentration failing, take a break and do something else. There will always be something else to do. Allocate a set amount of time to complete your alternative tasks and then go back to the key priority. You will feel fresher and re-energized.

4. Set work hours, and follow them. Set work hours for times when the kids, if you have them, aren’t around, or don’t require a lot of attention.  When your work hours are done, stop working.  If you can’t manage to get your work done, you may need to reset your work hours, but you most likely need to look at how much work you can actually take on. 

5. Make a separate space for work and family. While it may be easy to work and play in the same area, it helps to have a dedicated office area when you work from home.  This will help you focus on what you need to be doing, and even help protect you from getting your work disrupted by your family.   

6. Get the family to help. Sure, if your kids are young, they aren’t going to be able to help with much, but even very small children can often help organize the house or dry dishes.  Make sure everyone does their part.

7. Take time for you. When balancing work and family, you often forget an important part of the equation:  you.  When scheduling your work and family, always schedule some time to relax, socialize, and do what you like to do. 

8. Make friends. Even if you don’t get to see them a lot, friends are an important part of maintaining your physical and mental health.  Remember to take time to keep your friendships alive.  Make contact and schedule a ‘friend date’. You are more likely to maintain your friendships if you plan it in your diary.

9. Stay positive. One of the biggest keys to success is keeping a positive attitude.  You’ll be surprised what you can accomplish as long as you believe you can do it.  Plus, you’ll be setting a great life example for your kids at the same time.

10. Remember that you are unique. Trying to fit into someone else’s schedule and someone else’s plan isn’t necessarily going to be successful.  You need to tailor your plan into you and your family’s unique needs and find something that works for you.