Welcome to the world of business! It’s quite simply a dream to be able to work from home and run our very own company. How many people can get to say they live the dream on a daily basis like us? It’s great.
But, you can’t afford to sit back and wait for the success to roll in. It won’t do that unless you’re willing to put in a lot of hard work and effort. That said, you need to consider your surroundings before you even get to that point. It all starts with an organised home office, and that’s a harder thing to achieve than you might think.
Here are some basics that you might want to consider as you set up your home business for success:
Think About Location
You’re not going to be able to have an organised office if your office location is in the wrong place. You don’t want to be constantly disrupted by other people, the sound of traffic or anything else. When you’re thinking about location, be sure to account for any potential distractions that might derail your day. If you think you’re going to have a problem, switch to another room.
A lot can be accomplished with focused and concentrated efforts for a few hours as compared to working 10 hours a day with multiple distractions. Try your best to keep those hours when you are most focused absolutely distraction free – no phone calls, no house chores or child care.
It’s Still An Office
Once you’ve got the office where you want it, it’s important to actually treat it as an office. What do we mean by that? Don’t be leisurely, which is a very tempting thing to do when you work at home. Dress to impress. Keep drinks off the office table. Turn off the stereo and any TV that might be present in there. If you want to organize yourself for productivity, you need to treat this seriously.
There have been numerous studies which show that if you dress for work even when at home, you feel more committed and alert to the work at hand. It’s not required to suit up when working from home, but find the right balance that makes you feel comfortable, confident and smart.
Go Digital
What’s the one thing that most of us think of when we think of an office? Angry bosses? Nope. Lots of laptops? Maybe. In my experience, people tend to think of paper as a primary characteristic of an office. Lots and lots of files often populate the shelving of an office department, filled with pieces of paper. Your problem is that you’re working from home, and you haven’t got luxury storage systems. So, do what you can to remain digital. Don’t be tempted to print out when you can simply access something on a virtual desktop.
Try out different apps or applications that suit your style of work or those you work with. Technology makes our lives and work smoother and more functional. We just need to know how the collaborative apps and software can work for us more and share our workload.
Separate Business and Personal
It’s really, really easy to get confused when you’re working from home. Unless you separate your business dealings from your personal ones, you might run into trouble. Take your mailing address, for which it’s arguably better to have a registered office for business dealings. What is a registered office address? It’s a prestigious address you can use to retain your privacy and boost your profile. Also, you might want to think about separating your business accounts from personal ones to save any financial worries.
It is best to start early. Register your business before you start. Keep track of all transactions and keep all business assets separate from your personal ones.
Design For Efficiency
Finally, don’t forget to design your office for efficiency. Keep multiple factors in mind, like whether the sun will block your vision or whether important equipment is stored out of reach. It’s beneficial to put a plan together in the first instance before you go making any elaborate design choices. As your business grows things may soon get out of hand if organization was not on your list of key things to plan as you ramp up for success.
There are numerous sites that offer organization tips and it helps to consult an expert if your business equipment or products are growing at a crazy pace.
Plan well for your home business success. Passion, plan, and persistence pays off. Stay focused and don’t give up!