Operating your business from home- a daydream for office dwellers and a nightmare for parents with young kids or people with a Netflix description.
Operating a business from home can be a great way to save money, resources and time, but if this operation is not undertaken properly, it can seriously harm productivity. In order to avoid this potential problem and turn your home office into a productive hub, you can follow these small but effective steps.
1. Create a clear office space
No matter where in your home you work, you need to ensure that when you are in this space, it is purely for work purposes. This means that it’s best to create a set up that would mimic a work space in an office. Ideally, have your work area in a closed off room with a desk, a comfortable chair and the appropriate materials that you will need such as a laptop, notebooks, a telephone and stationary.
It may be tempting to simply set yourself up in front of the TV with your laptop, but it’s easy to procrastinate with distractions surrounding you.
The benefit of creating a clear office space is that when you are in this space, you know that you are there to work, and once you leave this space, you can go back to your day-to-day without work getting in the way of more important things, like time spent with family.
2. Dress in appropriate attire
By dressing and grooming yourself the same way in which you would do so to go into an office, you are able to recognise when you are in ‘work mode’. Just the same as creating a work space, you can also distinguish when you are back to your day-day. But instead of simply leaving the room, you would swap out those heels for ugg boots.
Another important reason why you should dress in appropriate attire is that you may need to schedule impromptu meetings with clients. Rather than being in a rush to make yourself look presentable, your work outfit will leave you ready for anything.
3. Establish the hours that you are business
Again, the suggestion to mimic a typical office environment is introduced by establishing clear working hours. By doing so, you can again recognise when you are in work mode and when you are not. Even more importantly, your clients and contacts know when you are contactable. This will avoid having to take work calls when you are busy with more important things like spending time with family.
4. Explain your expectations
When you work from home you need to consider that there are probably other people living there with you. Whether it’s roommates, partners or children, communicating the way in which you expect to the house to be when you are working is important. If you can only speak to your co-inhabitants over a lunch break during work hours, then explain this. It will avoid arguments and stress by getting it all out on the table as early as your work at home begins.
5. Don’t isolate yourself
If you have a big project or job your working on and you don’t want to be interrupted, it’s tempting to become un-contactable. Although this can sometimes be helpful, social interaction is essential for our mental health. So change it up sometimes- get lunch with family or friends, or work from a coffee shop or library.
Don’t fall into the trap that is your Facebook profile or Netflix subscription, follow the simple steps listed to maximise the productivity of your business.