|
Tips
to Setting Boundaries: Making Your Office Your Own
One of the great American
dreams is being able to quit a 9-to-5 job to start building
a work at home business. More and more people are making
their dream come true. But before you quit that job
and set up your home office, there are a few issues
to consider.
On the plus side, part of your home
and related expenses are tax deductible. It's convenient
to work while your kids are in school and then be home
for them when they walk through the door in the afternoon,
and let's face it, not having a boss to answer to is
a major plus.
But it's not always the ideal situation.
Starting a business from home isn't always easy on families.
There are many issues that will affect your family.
First and foremost are financial issues. Will you be
able to handle the hit to your wallet when you don't
have a steady paycheck? If this is an issue, consider
working your business part time while holding down a
full down job.
It takes a very dedicated person to
work from home. There are always distractions to overcome
such as the unexpected visits from family members who
think you have lots of free time because you don't work
a "real" job. It also seems like telemarketers
prefer to call in the middle of the day, and don't forget
the neighbors dropping by to see if you'll babysit while
they run errands. It's very important to let family
and friends know your working hours. Tell them in no
uncertain terms that your business is your income and
you need to block out regular working hours. Also let
them know when you are available.
Along those same lines, it is crucial
that you explain to your own family that, although you
are home, you are not always available to them. This
can be confusing to kids. Set some basic rules for them
to follow. Let them know your work hours and tell them
you expect not to be disturbed. But occasionally, surprise
them by quitting early and doing something fun with
them!
Here are a few basic rules that will
help you and your family handle the new working situation.
* Make sure everyone knows not to answer
your business phone. This will save you in a number
of ways. You'll be sure to always get your messages.
Kids are never good at getting all the details. You'll
create a much more professional business image if you
answer your own phone.
* If you're children are typical kids,
they will want to "borrow" your office supplies.
Give them their own office supply center elsewhere in
the house! Otherwise, you'll start losing your much
needed supplies.
*Set a work schedule at the beginning
of every week and post it in a prominent spot so family
members can check your schedule to see when you will
be available.
Though these issues can and probably
will arise, working from home is still the American
Dream for many people. Learning to set, and more importantly,
enforce boundaries for family, friends and clients will
make your business less complicated.
1howto.com
--------------------------------------------------
Please
Share Your Tips with Us
|
