If you run a home-based business, or if you conduct a significant portion of your business activities from a home office, you know that optimizing productivity can be a challenge. The key to successful time management in a home-based business is to create an environment that makes you feel as though you’re at work. Separating business and pleasure isn’t always easy when you’re at home, but with a little effort, you can strike the perfect balance between life and work.
Minimize Distractions
One of the first things you should do is create a specially designated work space. Outside distractions — television, personal phone calls, visitors — should be eliminated. Create a home office space and treat it like what it is: your workplace.
Create a Schedule
Another common problem is time management. After all, there’s nobody clocking your arrival and departure.
Making a schedule, then sticking to it, are vital for productivity. You can do this one of two ways: create an hourly work schedule and treat it as you would any other job. If you resolve to be at work by 9:00 and stay until 5:00, then do it. Your other option is to set hard and fast goals for each work day. You don’t have to watch the clock as much as you have to keep yourself to task until you accomplish everything on your to-do list.
More Home Productivity Tips
Here are more ways you can remain at the top of your game in your home-based business:
- Do your most important work at the beginning of the day
- Start early — this will boost your morale by making you feel like you’re accomplishing a lot, relative to the time of day
- Create time limits for accomplishing specific jobs and tasks
- Count all breaks you take towards your time allotment for the day
- Push yourself to work 15 more minutes when you feel like you’ve hit your ceiling
While remaining productive when working at home can be a challenge at first, you’ll be rewarded for your efforts. Home-based workers avoid stressful commutes, enjoy excellent scheduling flexibility and minimize their transportation costs.